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ROOSE'S 
Companion   and   Quid 

TO 

WASHINGTON 

AND 

VICINITY. 


Carefully  revised   and   corrected   to    1885. 


GiBsox  Bkothers,  Printers. 
1885. 


moose's  CSxxitlt  to  ^^itsliiugtou. 


W.  S.  RoosE, 


WHOLESALE    DEAl.KJt  IN 


/=,_,  No.    1233  ^^. 


Corner  15th  and  F  Sts. 


RETAIL  CIGAR  AND  NEWS-STANDS  IN- 

A.rliag,t<>a,  M©tropQlita!i»  National, 

aad  Harris  Hotels, 

and 

^taskt^m  MQt^l  and  Ooagr^ss  Kail, 

CAPE    MAY,  N.  J. 

Entered    according    to    act    of  Congress,    in    the   year    1881,   by 

W.  S.  RoosE  and  John  Gibson, 

in    the   office   of  the    Librarian    of  Congress,    at'  Washington,    D.    C. 


CONTE]NITS 


Page. 

History  of  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia  11-17 

Plan  of  the  Citj' 19 

Population  from  1810,  in  decades, 
to  1880 20 

The  Capitol : 

Situation 21 

Fronts  of  Capitol 21,  23 

Grounds 22 

Fish  Pond 23 

Navy  Monument    23 

Greenough's  Washington 25 

Central  East  Portico 25 

Statue  of  the  Discovery 26 

Statue  of  Civilization 29 

Tympanum  of  the  Portico 29 

Statue  of  War 29 

Statue  of  Peace 29 

Rogers'  Bronze  Door 32-34 

The  Rotunda 34-47 

Landing  of  Columbus 34 

Discovery  of  the  Mississippi.     35 

Baptism  of  Pocahontas 35 

Embarcation  of  the  Pilgrims.  36 
Declaration  of  Independence.  37 
The  Surrender  of  Burgoyne...     37 

■Surrender  of  Cornwallis 38,  39 

Resignation  of  Washington....     40 

Relievos  in  the  Rotunda 40,  41 

Ornamentation  of  the  Belt  of 

the  Dome 41-44 

Brumidi's   Picture 43 

The  Whispering  Gallery 44 

Statue  of  Freedom 47 

Old  Hall  of  Representatives..     47 
Houdon's  Statue  of  Washing- 
ton      48 

Bust  of  Koskiusco 48 


Page. 
The  Capitol — Conthiued. 

Miss    Ream's  Statue  of  Lin- 
coln   •  48 

Mrs.  Ames'  Bust  of  Lincoln..  49 

Bust  of  Crawford 49 

Statue  of  Alex.  Hamilton 49 

Bronze  Statue  of  Jefferson 49 

Portraits  in  Old  Hall  49,  50 

Mosaic  of  Lincoln 49 

Joshua  R.  Giddings 50 

Charles  Carroll  of  Carrollton.  50 

Gunning  Bradford 50 

Portrait  of  Jefferson 50 

Portrait    of   Benjamin    West 

(by  himself; 50 

Gen.  Washington,  by  Stuart..  50 
Statuary     furnished     by    the 

States 50-52 

Gen.  Greene 50 

Roger  Williams 50 

Jonathan  Trumbull 50 

Roger  Sherman 51 

George  Clinton 51 

R.  R.  Livingston , 51 

Gov.  Winthrop 51 

Samuel  Adams ....  51 

Ethan  Allen ss 

Gov.  Wm.   King 52 

Statue  of  Col.  Baker,  ordered 

by  Congress 53 

Acoustic  Wonders 53 

Centennial  Safe  53 

Electric  Light 54 

Changes  in  South   Extension 

of  Capitol  in  1879 54 

New  Hall  Representatives. ..55-57 

Vanderlyn's  Washington 55 

Lafayette,  by  Arj'  Scheffer...  55 


IV 


Page. 
The  Capitol — Continued. 

B  r  u  m  i  d  i '  s  Washington  at 

York  town 55 

Bierstadt's  Landing  of  Hud- 
son and  Discovery  of  Cali- 
fornia       55 

Staircases 56 

Western   Emigration 56 

Carpenter's  Painting  of  Proc- 
lamation of  Emancipation..  56 

Chippewa  Indian  Chief. 56 

Thomas  Jefferson,  by  Powers  56 

Attic  stor>%  House  Library...  56 

Ground  Floor ". 56 

Room    of   the   Committee   of 

Agriculture 57 

Heating  and  Ventilating  Ap- 
paratus of  the  House 57 

The  Crypt 57 

The  Tomb  of  Washington....  57 

Court  of  Claims 57 

Library  of  Congress 57 

Law  Librarj^ 58 

Supreme  Court-Room 58 

Portrait  Chief-Justice  Mar- 
shall   59 

Portrait  Chief-Justice  Jay 59 

Portrait  Taney 59 

Senate  Chamber 59 

President's  Room 59 

Marble  Room 60 

Vice-President's    Room 60 

Ladies'  Reception-room 60 

Sergeant-at-  Arms  Room 60 

Senate  Post-Office 60 

Crawford  Bronze  Door 61 

Senate  Extension  Portico 61 

Statuary  over  Portico  of  Sen- 
ate Extension 61 

Room  of  the  Official  Report- 
ers of  the  Senate 62 

Statue  ot  Franklin 62 

Powell's  Victory  of  Lake  Erie  62 

Canon  Yellowstone 62 

Canon  Colorado 62 

11   Penserosa ."..  62 

Gen.  Scott  on  horseback 62 

Henry  Clay 63 

Illuminating  loft  of  the  Senate  63 

Storming  of  Chapultepec 63 


Page. 
The  Capitol — Continued. 

Statue  of  Hancock,  by  Stone.  63 
Ground  Floor  of  the  Senate 

Extension 64 

Room  of  Committee  on  Naval 

Affairs 64 

Room  of  Committee  on  Mili- 
tary Affairs 64 

Heating  and  Ventilating  Ap- 
paratus of  the  Senate 64 

The  Capitol  Police 64 

Guides 65 

History    of     the    Building    of 

the  Capitol 65,  66 

The  Botanical  Garden 66 

The  Conservatories 66 

The  Bartholdi  Fountain 67 

Reservations 67-70 

1.  The  President's  Grounds  67 

2.  The  Capitol  Grounds 67 

3.  The  Park  or  Monument, 

Government   Nurseries  67 
Building    for    Bureau     of 

Engraving  and  Printing  67 

4.  University  Square 68 

5.  Arsenal  Grounds 68 

6.  West  Market  St.  Square..  68 

7.  Centre  Market  st.  Square  68 

8.  National  Church  Square..  68 

9.  Judiciary  Square 68 

ID,   II,  12.   Reservations   sold  68 

13.  Hospital  Square 68 

14.  Navy  Yard 70 

15.  16.  Eastern  Market  Sqrs.  70 
17.  Townhouse  Square 70 

Squaies,  etc 70-74 

Lying  west  0/  the  Capitol. 

McPherson  Square 70 

Farragut  Square 70 

Scott  Place 71 

Statue  (equestrian)  of  Scott...  71 

Franklin  Square 71 

Rawlins  Square  and  Statue...  71 

Mount  Vernon  Place 71 

Fourteenth-st.  Circle 71 

Iowa  Circle  71 

Washington  Circle 73 

Equestrian  Statue  of  Wash- 
ington    73 

P-Street  Circle 73 


Page 

Squares,  etc. — Continued. 

Lying  east  of  the  Capitol. 

Stanton  Place 73 

Equestrian    Statue    of   Gen. 

Greene 73 

Lincoln  Square 74 

Group  of  Emancipation 74 

The  Avenues 74-77 

Table     showing    course    and 

width  of  avenues 77 

Time    of   opening    and    closing 
Public  Buildings .77,  78 

President's  House 80,  82 

Exterior 80 

First  Floor 80 

Vestibule 80 

East-Room 80 

Portrait  of  Lady  Washington  80 

Green-Room 80 

Blue-Room 80 

Red-Room 

State  Dining-Room 

Private  Dining-Room 

Second  Floor 

Cabinet-Room 

Basement,  etc 

History- 

Stables  and  Conservatory 82 

Lafayette  Square 82 

Mills'  Statue  of  Jackson 82 

State  Department 82,  83 

E.xterior 82 

Reception-room 82 

Ante-room     for      Diplomatic 

Corps 82 

Sec.  of  State's  Room 85 

Assist.  See's  Room. 85 

Chief  Clerk's      "     85 

Portraits    of    Secretaries    of 

State 85 

Portrait  of  Bey  of  Tunis 85 

Original    Dec.    of  Independ- 
ence   85 

Library 85 

Treasury  Department 85,  86 

Exterior 85 

Cash  Room 85 

Vaults 86 

Photograph  Office 86 

Coast  Survey 86 

History 36 


Page 

War  Department 

Exterior 

Secretary's  Office 

General  of  the  Army 

Signal  Office 

Flag  Room 

Quartermaster  Gen.'s   Office 

Surgeon-General's  Office 

Army  Medical  Museum,  once 

Ford's  Theatre 87 

Winder's  Building 90 

Chief  Engineer  of  the  Army...  90 

Battle  Record-Room 90 

File-Room 90 

Judge-Advocate-Gen's  Office  90 

Ordnance  Office 90 

Second  Auditorof  the  Treas...  90 

The  Arsenal 90 

Soldiers'  Home 90 

Establishment 90 

Main   Building 91 

New  Hospital 91 

Scott's  Pedestrian  Statue 91 

National  Military  Cemetery...  91 

Navy  Department 93,  95 

Secretarj-'s  Office 93 

Hydrographic   Office 93 

Admiral's       "      93 

Nautical  Almanac  Office 93 

Divisions  into  Bureaus 93 

National  Observatory 93 

The  "  Great  Equatorial  " 94 

Naval   Hospital 94 

Navy  Yard 94 

The  Museum 94 

Vessels  built 94 

Marine  Barracks 95 

Marine  Corps 95 

Post-Office  Department 95 

Exterior 95 

Postmaster-General's  Office...  95 

Dead-Letter  Office 97 

City  Post-Office 97 

History 97 

Department  of  the  Interior 98 

Patent  Office 98 

Exterior 98 

History 98 

Fire  0^1877 98 

Interior 98 


Page. 

Dept.  of  the  Interior — Continued. 

Models 98 

Washington  Relics 98 

Office  Secy,  of  the  Interior...     98 

Bureau  of  Education 101 

Survey  of  Territories loi 

Pension  Bureau loi 

Branch  of  Pension  Bureau —   loi 
Government  Hospital  for  the 

Insane loi 

Columbia    Institution  for  the 

Deaf  and  Dumb 102 

Columbia  Hospital  for  Women 
and  Lying-in  Asylum T02 

Department  of  Justice 102 

History 102 

Gallery  of  Portraits  of  U.  S. 

Attorneys-General 102 

City-Hall 105 

Historj^ 105 

Statue    of  Lincoln,  by  Flan- 

nery 105 

Police  Court 105 

Police   Headquarters 105 

Reform  School 105 

Department  of  Agriculture 105 

Exterior 105 

Plant-Houses  108 

History 108 

Agricultural  Museum 108 

Government  Printing  Office 108 

Washington  Asylum 108 

District  Jail 109 

Congressional  Cemetery  109 

Smithsonian  Institution 1C9 

Exterior IC9 

Grounds 109 

Downing  Vase 109 

Smithson  History 109,  no 

National  Museum no 

"  Annex-Building  " no 

Work  of  Institution no 

Library  Rem.oved no 

Washington   Monument in,  113 

Lapidarium 113 

Action  of  Congress  in  Centen- 
nial Year 113 

Corcoran  Gallery  of  Art 113 

Exterior 113 

History 113 


Page. 

Masonic  Temple .....   114 

Odd-Fellows'    Hall n4 

Providence  Hospital 114 

Armory 114 

History  115 

Gonzaga  College 115 

Columbian  University 115 

History 115 

National  Medical  College 115 

Law  Department 115 

Howard  University 116 

Freedman's  Asylum 116 

Wayland  Seminary 116 

Benevolent  Institutions 116-119 

National   Soldiers'   and   Sail- 
ors' Orphans'  Home 116 

Louise    Home 116 

Washington  City  Orphan  Asy- 
lum     116 

Children's    Hospital 116 

St.  John's  Hospital  for  Child- 
ren    116 

St.  Ann's  Infant  Asylum 116 

St.    Joseph's    Male    Orphan 

Asylum 116 

St.  Vincent's  Female  Orphan 

Asylum 116 

St.  Rose's  Orphan  Home  116 

Visitation  Academy 119 

Academy  of  the  Holy  Cross...   T19 
The  Epiphany  Church  Home   119 

The  Home  for  the  Aged 119 

Women's  Christian  Associa- 
tion    119 

Hotels 119 

Places  of  Amusement 120 

Principal  Markets 120 

Railroads  120 

Horse-Car  Routes  122 

Churches 123-129 

Baptist 123 

Christadelphian  Synagogue...   124 

Christian 124 

Congregational 124 

Episcopal 124 

Friends'  Meeting-Houses 125 

German  Reformed  Church....   125 

Hebrew  Synagogues 125 

Lutheran 126 

Methodist  Episcopal 126 


Page. 

Churches —  Continued. 

Methodist  Episcopal,  South..  127 

Methodist  Protestant,  etc 127 

New  Jerusalem 128 

Presbyterian 128 

Roman  Catholic 128 

Unitarian 129 

Universalist 129 

Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation   129 

Public  Schools... ...  129-131 

Public  School  Statistics 130 

School-Houses  west  of  Capi- 
tol   130 

Franklin  School-House 130 

Seaton          "             "      130 

Jefferson      "             "      130 

Sumner        "             "      130 

Miner          "             "        130 

Stevens       "             "       130 

Jno.  F.  Cook  School-House...  130 

Randall                "             "     ...  130 

Abbot                   "             "     ...  130 

Curtis                   "             "     ...  130 

School-Houseseast  of  Capitol  131 

Cranch         "             "      131 

Wallach  School-House 131 

Lincoln        "            "       131 

Water-Works 131 

Cabin-John  Bridge 131 

Stand-pipe  131 

Little  Falls  of  the  Potomac...  133 

Chain-Bridge 133 

Great  Falls  of  the  Potomac...  133 

Analostan  Island 133 

Cemeteries 134 

Rock-Creek-Church  Cemeterj'  134 

Glen  wood 134 

Prospect  Hill 134 


Page, 

Cemeteries —  Continued. 

St    Mary's  Bur^'ing  Ground..  134 

Mount  Olivet 134 

Graceland 134 

Georgetown 135 

Georgetown  Heights 135 

Oak  Hill  Cemeterj' 135 

Georgetown        High-service 

Reservoir 135 

Convent  of  the  Visitation 135 

Georgetown  College 135 

New  additional  Building 136 

Linthicum  Institute 136 

Peabody  Library 136 

Home  for  Aged  Women  136 

Alexandria 137 

Christ  Church 137 

National  Cemetery  near  Alex- 
andria    137 

Mount  Vernon 137 

Fort  Foot 137 

Fort  Washington 137 

Mount  Vernon  House 137 

"  "         Tomb ...   139 

Mount  Vernon  Ladies'  Asso- 
ciation   139 

Arlington 141 

National  Cemetery 141 

Unknown   Tomb 141 

History' 143 

Fort  Myer 144 

Bladensburg , 144 

"  Battle  of. 144 

"  Racers 144 

Duelling  Ground 144 

Chalybeate   Spring 144 

Proposed  Monument  to  President 

Lincoln 144 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 
Map  of  Washington  City. 

The  Capitol,  1827 9 

The  Capitol — East  Front 10 

Pennsylvania  Avenue  18 

Botanical  Garden , 20 

The  Capitol,  West  Front,  as  itwas  in  1874 24 

Naval  Monument ., 24 

The  Discovery  ;  Civilization;  Greenough's  Washington 27 

Justice;  Genius  of  America;  Hope 28 

War 30 

Peace 31 

Contemplated  Monument  to  Lincoln,  East  Capitol  Park 45 

Franzoni's  Clock 46 

Freedom 46 

McPherson  69 

Residence  of  British  Minister 69 

Washington;  Scott;   Emancipation 72 

Lincoln  Hall 76 

Executive  Mansion — North  Front 79 

"  "  South      "     79 

State,  War,  and  Navy  Departments 83 

Treasury  Department   84 

Ford's  Theatre,  now  the  Medical  Museum 88 

Soldiers'  Home 88 

National  Deaf-Mute  College 89 

The  Washington  Monument 92 

Post-Office  Department.. 96 

Insane  Asylum  96 

Patent-Office 99 

Pension  Bureau 100 

Department  of  Justice,  (Freedman's  Bank  Building) 103 

Corcoran  Gallery  of  Art 104 

Agricultural  Department'  104 

Smithsonian  Institution .106 

Annex  to  Smithsonian  Institution 107 

Branch  of  Pension  Bureau 112 

Louise  Home 117 

Howard  University 117 

Baltimore  &  Potomac  R.R.  Depot 121 

Lincoln  Monument 132 

Statue  of  Lincoln,  (Vinnie  Ream) 132 

Cabin-John  Bridge 136 

Mount  Vernon,  the  Home  of  Washington 138 

Jackson 142 

Thomas 142 

Washington's  Tomb  at  Mount  Vernon 142 

Arlington  House 143 


THE    DISTRICT    OF    COLUMBIA. 


''VTO  American  citizen  should  remain  contentedly  ignorant  of 
-L^  the  history  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  of  the  events 
which  led  to  its  selection  for  the  permanent  seat  of  the  Federal 
Government. 

The  Continental  Congress  opened  its  first  session  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Sept.  5,  1774,  and  the  succeeding  year  it  also  met  in 
that  city.  For  several  seasons  the  fortune  of  war  caused  its 
migration  from  place  to  place.  In  Dec.  20,  1776,  it  met  in  Bal- 
timore ;  but  again,  March  4,  1777,  it  met  in  Philadelphia.  In 
Sept.  27,  1777,  it  convened  at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  and  Sept.  30,  1777, 
at  York,  Pa.  July  2,  1778,  it  returned  to  Philadelphia,  where  it 
continued  to  meet  until  1783,  when  it  was  expelled  by  a  mob, 
which  the  State  authorities  did  not  suppress.  Congress  then 
adjourned  to  Princeton,  N.  J.,  June  30,  1783.  Nov.  2G,  1783,  it 
met  at  Annapolis,  Md.;  and  it  was  while  in  session  here  that 
Gen.  Washington,  Dec.  23,  resigned  his  commission  as  general- 
in-chief  of  the  army  at  the  close  of  the  revolutionary  contest. 
Nov.  1,  1784,  it  met  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  from  which  it  adjourned 
to  meet  Jan.  11,  1785,  in  New  York  city.  This  last  continued 
its  place  of  meeting  until  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  in  1788. 

It  was  in  the  city  of  New  York  the  First  Federal  Congress 
issembled — and  the  electoral  votes  were  counted  for  the  election 
^f  the  first  President  of  the  United  States.  Gen.  Washington 
was  inaugurated  President  on  the  balcony  of  Federal  Hall,  (the 
p>te  of  the  present  New  York  Custom-house,)  April  30,  1789. 


12 

The  question  ' '  where  the  permanent  seat  of  government  should 
be  located  "  gave  rise  to  anxious  debates  even  in  the  Continental 
Congress ;  and  in  the  Convention  which  framed  the  Constitution 
the  subject  was  waived  because  graver  issues  demanded  the  at- 
tention of  that  body,  and  it  was  deemed  hazardous  to  decide  upon 
what  necessarily  involved  great  local  irritation. 

The  question,  however,  early  engaged  the  attention  of  the  First 
Federal  Congress.  Pennsylvania  was  anxious  to  have  again 
within  her  territory  the  seat  of  power.  New  York  was  deter- 
mined to  retain,  if  she  could,  the  possession  which  she  held. 
New  Jersey,  Delaware,  Maryland,  and  Virginia,  each  stretched 
out  an  eager  hand,  presenting  a  several  plea,  for  the  coveted 
prize.  The  New  England  States  seem  to  have  kept  silent  as  re- 
garded their  own  claims,  while  the  extreme  Southern  States,  sup- 
ported by  Maryland  and  Virginia,  determined  to  have  the  capital 
brought  further  South  than  either  New  York  or  Philadelphia. 
The  South  Carolinians  were  jDarticularly  anxious  Philadelphia 
should  not  be  selected  because  of  the  Quakers,  who  "  were  con- 
tinually dogging  Southern  members  with  their  schemes  of  eman- 
cipation." Not  only  were  newspapers  filled  with  the  discussion 
of  the  question,  but  private  journals  and  the  correspondence  of 
the  period  teem  with  the  controversy. 

At  length  a  bill  passed  the  House,  Sept.  22,  1789,  ayes  31,  noes 
17,  locating  the  permanent  capital  "on  the  river  Susquehanna, 
in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania."  This  location  was  bitterly  op- 
posed by  Mr.  Madison,  who  led  the  Southern  members,  and  who 
was  supposed  also  to  express  the  wishes  of  President  Washing- 
ton. In  the  Senate  the  biU  was  amended :  the  "  Delaware  river  " 
and  the  neighborhood  of  Philadelphia,  "including  Germantown," 
was  substituted  instead,  and  some  other  new  provisions  were  in- 
serted. On  the  return  of  the  bHI  to  the  House  it  was  again  stren- 
aously  opposed  by  Mr.  Madison,  who  at  last  succeeded  in  hav- 


13 

ing  an  unimportant  amendment  introduced,  hoping  that  the 
delay  consequent  upon  its  consideration  in  the  Senate  would  cause 
its  being  laid  over  to  the  next  session  of  Congress.  In  this  desire 
he  was  gratified.  Instead  of  passing  the  bill  the  Senate  ' '  post- 
poned "  its  consideration,  and  Congress  adjourned  the  next  day, 
Sept.  29,  1789. 

At  the  next  session  of  Congress  the  vexed  question  was  again 
introduced.  Partisanship  ran  high,  and,  in  the  opinion  of  many, 
upon  its  disposition  seemed  to  hang  the  continued  existence  of 
the  recently-formed  Union.  It  was  at  this  juncture  that  another 
question,  involving  the  finances  of  the  RepubUc,  about  which 
great  diversity  of  opinion  prevailed,  and  which  also  had  enlisted 
warm  and  excited  feeling,  was  made  the  basis  of  a  compromise 
between  the  contending  parties. 

Alexander  Hamilton,  of  New  York,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
had  recommended  the  assumption  by  the  Federal  Government 
of  the  State  debts.  This  was  opposed  by  Virginia  and  the 
Southern  States.  It  was  ascertained  that  it  required  the  change 
of  two  votes  to  carry  into  effect  the  financial  project.  To  accom- 
plish this,  and  also  settle  the  question  of  the  selection  of  a  place 
for  the  permanent  capital,  the  aid  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  then  re- 
cently returned  from  France,  and  appointed  Secretary  of  State, 
was  invoked. 

The  great  democrat  proposed  that  the  subject  should  be  talked 
over  at  a  dinner,  to  which  Hamilton  was  invited.  It  was  there 
settled  that  if  the  votes  of  Lee  and  White,  of  Virginia,  should 
be  changed  in  favor  of  assumption,  that  Hamilton  and  Robert 
Morris,  of  Pennsylvania,  would  bring  such  an  influence  to  bear 
upon  the  question  of  the  location  of  the  capital  as  would  insure 
its  permanent  establishment  upon  the  banks  of  the  Potomac. 

The  bargain  was  faithfully  kept.  Hamilton's  financial  scheme 
was  adopted,  and  on  the  31st  May,  1790,  Pierce  Butler,  of  South 


14 

Carolina,  obtained  permission  of  the  Senate  "  to  bring  in  a  bill 
to  determine  the  permanent  seat  of  Government  of  the  United 
States." 

The  bill  located  a  district  of  territory  for  this  purpose  not  ex- 
ceeding ten  miles  square,  "  on  the  river  Potomac,  at  some  space 
between  the  mouths  of  the  Eastern  Branch  and  Conogocheague ; ' 
the  capital  to  be  removed  thither  in  1800,  and  until  that  time  the 
temporary  capital  was  to  be  established  in  Philadelphia.  It  passed 
the  Senate  July  1,  1780,  ayes  14,  noes  12,  Four  attempts  were 
made  in  the  House  to  change  the  site  of  the  Federal  District,  but 
were  voted  down,  and  the  Senate  biU  was  finally  agreed  to,  July 
9,  1790,  by  a  vote  of  32  ayes  to  29  noes.  It  received  the  signa- 
ture of  the  President  July  16,  1790. 

[Maryland,  by  an  act  passed  Dec.  28,  1788,  and  Virginia,  by  an 
act  of  Dec.  3,  1789,  had  previously  authorized  the  cession  of  such 
portions  of  their  territory  as  might  be  selected  by  Federal  author- 
ity for  the  seat  of  the  General  Government.] 

An  amendatory  act,  which  passed  Congress  March  3,  1791,  re- 
pealed so  much  of  the  act  of  July  16,  1790,  as  required  the  whole 
District  to  be  located  above  the  mouth  of  the  Eastern  Branch, 
and  authorized  the  President  ' '  to  make  any  part  of  the  said  ter- 
ritory below  the  said  limit,  and  above  the  mouth  of  Hunting 
creek,  a  part  of  the  said  District,  so  as  to  include  a  convenient 
part  of  the  Eastern  Branch,  and  of  the  lands  lying  on  the  lower 
side  thereof,  and  also  the  town  of  Alexandria."  It  was  provided 
that  no  public  buildings  should  be  erected  otherwise  than  on  the 
Maryland  side  of  the  Potomac. 

A  proclamation  had  been  issued  by  President  Washington, 
dated  Philadelphia,  Jan.  24,  1791,  defining  the  boundaries  of  the 
District  selected  by  him  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  first 
act.  This  was  now  followed  by  another  proclamation  amenda- 
tory of    the  other,  dated   Georgetown,   March   30,  1791.     The 


15 

boundaries  of  the  territory  were  therein  declared  to  be  as  fol- 
lows :     ' 

"Beginning  at  Jones'  Point,  being  the  upper  cape  of  Hunting 
creek,  in  Virginia,  and  at  an  angle  in  the  outset  of  45  degrees 
west  of  the  north,  and  running  in  a  direct  line  ten  miles  for  the 
first  line ;  then  beginning  again  at  the  same  Jones'  Point,  and 
running  another  direct  line  at  a  right  angle  with  the  first,  across 
the  Potomac,  ten  miles,  for  the  second  line ;  then  from  the  ter- 
minations of  the  said  first  and  second  line,  running  two  other 
direct  lines,  of  ten  miles  each,  the  one  crossing  the  Eastern 
Branch  aforesaid  and  the  other  the  Potomac,  and  meeting  each 
other  in  a  point."  *  *  *  "  And  the  territory  so  to  be  located,  de- 
fined, and  limited  shall  be  the  whole  territory  accepted  by  the 
said  act  of  Congress  as  the  District  for  the  permanent  seat  of  the 
Government  of  the  United  States. " 

This  territory  contained  a  surface  of  ten  miles  square^  forming 
an  area  of  100  square  miles,  or  G4,000  acres,  and  included  both 
margins  of  the  Potomac.  Its  situation  lay  between  38°  48'  and 
38°  59'  north  latitude.  The  Capitol,  afterward  erected  near  its 
centre,  is  in  76°  55'  30.54"  west  longitude  from  Greenwich. 
Georgetown  and  Alexandria  were  within  it-s  limits — the  remain- 
der was  plantation  or  farm  land. 

President  Washington  appointed,  Jan.,  1791,  ex-Governoi 
Thomas  Johnson,  of  Md. ,  Dr.  David  Stuart,  of  Va. ,  and  the 
Hon.  Daniel  CarroU,  of  Rock  Creek,  Md. ,  the  first  three  Com- 
missioners pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  July  IG,  1790, 
who  were  empowered  "to  survey"  and  "define  and  limit  a 
district  of  territory  *  *  for  the  permanent  seat  of  Government." 
They  were  also  "to  have  power  to  purchase  or  accept  such 
quantity  of  land  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  said  river,  [Poto- 
mac,] within  the  said  district,  as  the  President  shall  deem  proper 
for  the  use  of  the  United  States,"  and  "  provide  suitable  build- 


1(3 

ings  for  the  accommodation  of  Congress  and  of  the  President, 
and  for  the  public  offices  of  the  Government  of  the  United 
States;"  all  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  President.* 

Interesting  as  the  history  really  is  of  the  work  accomplished 
by  the  Commissioners,  their  vexatious  trials  and  various  disap- 
pointments, the  limited  space  of  the  present  publication  will 
only  permit  a  recapitulation  of  the  main  results  of  their  efforts. 

The  bargain  and  purchase  of  the  land  occupied  by  the  Fed- 
eral City  from  the  original  proprietors  was  brought  about  by  the 
following  arrangement : 

Extracts  from  the  Agreement  of  the  Nineteen  Original  Proprie- 
tors. 

The  limits  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  as  they  now  exist,  hav- 
ing been  fixed  and  proclaimed  in  March,  1791,  under  the  author- 
ity of  acts  of  Congress,  nineteen  of  the  principal  proprietors  of 
the  lands  constituting  the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Washing- 
ton drew  up  and  signed  a  general  agreement  among  themselves, 
dated  March  30,  1791,  which  they  jaresented  to  the  Commission- 
ers, as  the  basis  of  the  terms  on  which  they  shotdd  dedicate  their 
lands  to  the  purposes  of  the  Federal  City,  and  as  such  it  was  ac- 
cepted by  the  Commissioners,  and  recorded  in  their  books,  on  the 
12th  April,  1791,  as  follows  : 

"We,  the  subscribers,  in  consideration  of  the  great  benefits 
we  expect  to  derive  from  having  the  Federal  City  laid  off  upon 
our  lands,  do  hereby  agree  and  bind  ourselves,  heirs,  executors, 
and  administrators,  to  convey,  in  trust,  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  or  Commissioners,  or  such  person  or  persons  as 
he  shall  appoint,  by  good  and  sufficient  deeds,  in  fee  simple,  the 
whole  of  our  respective  lands  which  he  may  think  proper  to  in- 

*  Vide  Wyeth's  Federal  City.     The  compiler  of  this  work  has  made  very  lib- 
eral use  of  Mr.  Wyeth's  book  throughout,  with  the  consent  of  that  gentleman. 


17 

elude  within  the  lines  of  the  Federal  City,  for  the  purposes  and 
on  the  conditions  following  : 

"  The  President  shall  have  the  sole  power  of  directing  the  Fed- 
eral City  to  be  laid  oflf  in  what  manner  he  pleases. 

' '  He  may  retain  any  number  of  squares  he  may  think  proper 
for  public  improvements,  or  otJier  public  uses  ;  and  the  lots  only, 
which  shall  be  laid  off,  shall  be  o.  joint  property  hei-'^een  the  trus- 
tees on  behalf  of  the  public  and  each  present  proprietor ;  and 
the  same  shall  be  fairly  and  equally  divided  between  the  public 
and  the  individuals,  as  soon  as  may  be,  the  city  shall  be  laid  off. 

"  For  the  streets  the  proprietors  shall  receive  no  compensation 
— but  for  the  squares  or  lands  in  any  form  which  shall  be  taken 
for  public  buildings,  or  any  kind  of  public  improvements  or  uses, 
the  proprietors,  whose  lands  shall  be  taken,  shall  receive  at  the 
rate  of  25  pounds  per  acre,  [sixty-six  and  two-thirds  dollars.]  to 
be  paid  by  the  public." 

The  lands  were  conveyed,  in  trust,  by  the  original  proprietors, 
to  Thomas  Beall,  son  of  George,  and  John  Mackall  Gantt,  to  be 
by  them  disposed  of,  to  be  laid  out  as  a  Federal  City,  according 
to  the  above  provisions. 


In  1846  that  portion  of  the  District  of  Columbia  which  had 
been  originally  a  portion  of  Virginia  was  retroceded  by  act  Oi 
Congress  back  again  to  that  State. 


PLAN    OF    THE    CITY. 


A  Frenchman,  Major  L'Enfant,  originated  the  plan  of  the  Fed- 
eral City.  He  was  a  youn^  officer  belonging  to  the  engineer 
corps  of  the  French  army,  whic  ti  aided  us  in  our  Revolutionary 
struggle.  He  early  became  a  fa  vorite  of  Gen.  "Washington,  who 
approved  his  plan,  and  time  has  since  confirmed  the  wisdom  of 
that  approval. 

The  Capitol  was  to  be  considered  the  centre  of  the  city ;  from 
it  the  streets  are  counted  north,  south,  east,  and  west ;  several 
of  the  avenues  also  radiate  from  it.  The  streets  cross  each  other 
at  right  angles.  Those  running  east  and  west  are  called  after 
the  letters  of  the  alphabet.  A,  B,  C,  D  streets,  etc. ;  those  run- 
ning  north  and  south.  First,  Second,  Third  streets,  etc. 

The  avenues,  named  after  the  different  States  at  the  time  the 
city  was  laid  out— and  a  few  others  since  added— cross  these 
streets  diagonally,  and  point  in  every  conceivable  direction. 

North,  South,  and  East  Capitol  streets  intersect  each  other  at 
the  centre  of  the  Capitol,  and  with  an  imaginary  line  continued 
west,  divide  the  city  into  four  sections.  So  there  is  a  First 
street  east  and  a  First  street  west ;  an  A  street  north  and  an  A 
street  south,  and  so  on  throughout. 

There  is  no  West  Capitol  street.  Where  that  would  have 
opened  are  gardens,  etc.,  continued  on  until  the  grounds  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution  are  reached.  Then  succeed  those  sur- 
rounding the  Agricidtural  Bureau  building,  and  beyond  them  are 
those  upon  which  the  Washington  Monument  is  erected.  These 
reservations  were  intended  to  become  an  ornamented  park,  and 

19 


20 

in  the  early  history  of  the  city  this  space  is  called  The  Mall.  The 
grounds  stretching  south  from  the  President's  House  connect  with 
those  surrounding  the  Monument. 

The  population  of  Washington  City  in  1810  was  8,208  ;  in  1820, 
13,247;  in  1830,  18,826;  in  1840,  23,364;  in  1850,  40,001;  in 
1860,  61,122  ;  in  1870,  109,199  ;  and  in  1880,  147,307. 

Assessed  Value  of  Real  Estate  in  Washington  City. 

The  statement  of  Mr.  Robert  Dodge,  Treasurer  and  Assessor 
of  the  District,  of  the  assessed  value  of  real  estate  for  the  year 
ending  June  30,  18,84  is  as  follows  : 

Washington  —  Taxable,  $93,491,891;  District  Government, 
.$1,849,512;  exempt,  $5,729,617;  United  States,  $88,537,311: 
total,  $189,608,391. 


ijoianical  U  a  den 


THE     CAPITOL 


THE  United  States  Capitol,  like  the  Capitol  of  ancieni  Kome, 
stands  upon  a  kill,  commanding  a  view  westward,  pro- 
Qoimced  by  the  great  traveller  Humboldt  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful his  eyes  had  ever  seen. 

The  plateau  east  extends  an  elevated  plain  for  a  considerable 
distance  towards  the  banks  of  the  Ajiacostia  or  Eastern  Branch 
of  the  Potomac.  The  descents  of  the  hill  north  and  south  are 
graduated  admirably — art  as  well  as  nature  assisting  in  producing 
the  present  graceful  declivities. 

The  Capitol  extends  751  feet  4  inches  in  length ;  the  greatest 
breadth,  including  the  steps  of  the  Extensions,  is  324  feet.  The 
whole  covers  an  area  of  three-and-a-half  acres,  or  153,112 
square  feet.  Its  cost  to  the  present  time,  1879,  has  been  about 
$13,000,000. 

The  centre  portion  of  the  building — the  original  Capitol — is 
built  of  yellowish  sandstone,  painted  white,  procured  from  an 
Island  in  Acquia  creek,  Virginia.  The  island  was  purchased 
by  Government  from  the  Brent  family,  for  $6,000,  in  1791. 

The  Extensions  are  of  white  marble,  slightly  tinged  with  blue, 
obtained  from  Lee,  Massachusetts.  The  monolith  marble  col- 
umns of  the  Extensions,  of  which  there  are  one  hundred,  were 
taken  from  a  quarry  in  Maryland. 

The  Dome  is  of  iron,  painted  white,  surmounted  by  the  statue 
of  Freedom,  a  bronze  figure  19^  feet  in  height.  The  tip  of  the 
feather  of  this  statue  is  287  feet  11  inches  above  the  base  Hue  of 
the  building  east.     Capitol  hill  is  within  a  fraction  of  90  feet 

21 


22 

high ;  consequently  the  head  of  the  statue  is  377  feet  above  tide- 
water.  In  comparison,  it  may  be  interesting  to  say  that  the 
height  of  St.  Peter's,  at  Rome,  is  stated  in  Knight's  Cyclopaedia  to 
be,  from  the  pavement  to  the  top  of  the  cross,  430  feet,  and  that 
of  St.  Paul's,  at  London,  404  feet. 

The  east  Capitol  park,  stretching  to  the  line  of  First  st.  east, 
has  a  frontage  from  B  st.  n,  e.  to  B  st.  s.  e,,  comprising  a  dis- 
tance of  1,500  feet.  The  grounds  are  laid  out  according  to  a  plan 
designed  by  Fred.  Law  Olmstead,  of  New  York  city,  whose  ad- 
mirable ornamentation  of  Central  Park  has  given  him  well- 
deserved  prominence  in  the  line  of  civil  engineer  and  landscape 
gardener. 

East  of  the  centre  portico,  fronting  either  side,  are  to  be  mag- 
nificent fountains,  each  to  cost  from  forty  to  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars. Costly  lamps  are  interspersed  throughout  the  grounds, 
making,  at  night-time,  when  lighted,  a  scene  resembling  our  idea 
of  fairy-land. 

The  eastern  front  of  the  Capitol  is,  properly  speaking,  its  main 
front.  It  consists  of  a  central  Portico,  160  feet  wide,  with  a  pro- 
jection, including  the  steps,  of  65  feet,  ornamented  with  24  pillars 
and  12  pilasters,  crowned  with  a  pediment  of  80  feet  span.  The 
whole  front  of  what  was  the  original  Capitol  is  352  feet ;  to  this 
has  been  added,  on  either  side,  a  colonnaded  corridor  of  44  feet ; 
to  these  are  attached  the  Extensions — that  of  the  Senate  on  the 
north,  and  that  of  the  House  on  the  south  end. 

Each  Extension  is  adorned  with  a  portico  142  feet  8  in.  wide, 
with  a  pediment  of  72  feet  span ;  22  columns  and  12  pilasters 
of  the  Corinthian  style  ornament  the  Extension  porticoes. 

The  north  and  south  fronts  of  the  Capitol  are  alike.  They  ex- 
tend 239  feet,  and  have  each  a  portico  120  feet  front,  with  a 
projection  of  10  feet  6  in.,  and  an  entablature  supported  by  10 
columns. 


23    • 

The  west  front  of  the  Capitol  is  that  with  which  strangers 
ordinarily  are  most  familiar.  It  consists  also  of  tkree  ornamented 
porticoes :  the  central  one  a  colonnade  100  feet  front,  with  ten 
columns,  eight  of  which  are  coupled,  and  a  corresponding  num- 
ber of  pilasters.  This  portico  communicates  with  the  Library  of 
Congress.  Then  to  each  of  the  Extensions  is  attached  a  portico 
similar  in  architectural  details  to  the  north  and  south  porti- 
coes, with  a  length  of  105  feet,  ornamented  with  10  columns. 

This  front  of  the  Capitol  possesses  the  advantage  of  the  addi- 
tion of  the  height  of  the  hill,  the  top  of  which  it  occupies.  The 
grounds  extend  to  First  st.  west,  and  connect  with  the  Botanical 
Garden. 

A  stone  terrace  is  being  erected  on  the  north,  west,  and  south 
sides,  which  removes  the  impression  of  insecurity,  and  gives 
the  building  an  appearance  of  greater  stability.  A  handsome 
balustrade  will  crown  the  terrace.  The  main  western  portico 
will  be  approached  by  a  grand  stone  stairway. 

A  marble  fish-pond  stocked  with  gold  and  silver  fish  is  situated 
on  the  terrace  in  the  immediate  front  of  the  west  centre  of  the 
Capitol.  It  was  formerly  the  site  of  a  monument  commemora- 
tive of  the  early  gallant  deeds  of  the  American  navy.  This  work 
was  removed  to  the  U.  S.  Naval  Academy,  Annapolis,  Md. 

Another  monument  commemorating  the  important  services  of 
the  navy  during  the  recent  civil  war  is  at  the  foot  of  the  hill, 
where  Pennsylvania  avenue  intersects  the  Capitol  grounds  west. 

NAVAL  MONUMENT. 
The  height  of  the  monument  is  about  40  feet.  Two  figures, 
History  and  America,  crown  the  top.  History  holds  in  one 
hand  a  tablet,  and  a  stj'lus  in  the  other.  America  stands  weeping, 
with  her  head  bowed  down.  History  directs  attention  to  the  in- 
scription  in  her  tablet,  "They  died  that  their  country  might  live." 


■■      i 


25     - 

Below  these  figures  stands  Victory,  holding  a  wreath  in  her  up- 
stretched  right  hand — beneath  Victory,  on  either  side,  is  a  youth- 
ful  Neptune  and  Mars. 

Peace  occupies  the  same  position  on  the  east  side  or  back  of 
the  monument  as  Victory  does  on  the  west  or  front  side.  She 
holds  an  olive  branch  in  her  hand,  and  is  surrounded  by  repre- 
sentations of  agricultural  products  and  implements.  A  dove  is 
also  here  beautifully  sculptured. 

The  monument  bears  the  inscription,  "In  memory  of  the 
officers,  seamen,  and  marines  of  the  United  States  Navy  who 
fell  in  defence  of  the  Union  and  liberty  of  their  country,  1861- 
1865."  Funds  were  contributed  for  its  erection  by  the  officers 
and  sailors  of  the  navy,  and  members  of  the  marine  corps.  Ad- 
miral Porter  was  actively  instrumental  in  influencing  the  erection 
of  this  monument.  It  was  designed  by  Franklin  Simmons, 
of  H.  I.  Government  contributed  $25,000  for  the  Statue  of 
Peace,  the  granite  fountain,  and  pedestal,  &c.,  on  which  the 
monument  stands. 

We  will  now  return  to  the 

EAST  CENTRAL  PORTICO  OF  THE  CAPITOL. 

Immediately  ojDposite  and  facing  this  Portico  is  Gre enough's 
Statue  of  Washington.  It  is  of  colossal  size,  and  has  an  inter- 
esting history.  It  was  ordered  in  1832,  to  be  placed  in  the  centre 
of  the  Rotunda,  over  the  tomb  or  vaulted  chamber  built  for  the 
reception  of  the  remains  of  "Washington  two  stories  beneath. 
The  statue  was  finished  in  1840,  and  the  artist  received  $20,000 
while  working  on  it.  Two  other  bills  in  connection  with  it  were 
paid  him,  amounting  to  $10,435.85.  The  expenses  of  trans- 
portation from  Italy,  its  erection  in  the  Rotunda,  of  its  subse- 
quent removals,  and  of  the  pedestal  upon  which  it  is  placed, 
have  absorbed  at  least  $13,000  more. 


20 

The  chair  upon  which  the  figure  sits  is  ornamented  with  the 
acanthus  leaf  and  lions'  heads.  A  small  figure  of  Columbus  and 
another  of  an  Indian  chief  lean  against  its  back.  On  the  pedestal 
is  inscribed  the  deserved  eulogy  on  Washington,  pronounced  by 
Governor  Henry  Lee  :  ^^  Ft'r.^t  in  war^first  in  peace^first  in 
the  hearts  of  his  countrymen.'' 

Washington  sits  in  majesty,  a  sort  of  Jupiter.  His  person  is 
nude  to  the  waist.  In  his  left  hand  is  a  sheathed  sword,  and 
with  his  right  he  points  towards  heaven. 

On  the  right  side  of  the  chair  is  a  bdsso-relievo  of  Phoebus- 
Apollo  driving  the  chariot  of  the  sun  around  the  world — thus 
representing,  in  pictured  allegory,  the  rising  sun,  the  crest  of 
the  national  arms  of  the  United  States.  On  the  left  side  of  the 
chair  is  depicted  the  infant  Hercules  strangling  the  serpent, 
while  Iphiclus,  his  feebler  twin-brother,  stretched  on  the  ground, 
shrinks  from  the  contest;  illustrating  the  genii  of  North  and 
South  America.  On  the  back  of  the  chair  is  inscribed :  *'  Simu- 
lacrum istud  ad  magnum  Libertatus  exemplum,  nee  sine  ipsa  du- 
raturum.  Horatio  Greenough,  faciebat.'''  This  has  been  trans- 
lated by  a  distinguished  scholar  into — 

"  This  statue  cast  in  Freedom's  stately  form. 
And  by  her  e'er  upheld. 

"Horatio  Greenough,  Sculptor." 

We  will  now  ascend  the  steps.  Upon  them  the  Presidents  of 
the  United  States  are  inaugurated;  over  a  hundred  thousand 
people,  occupying  the  eastern  park,  might  witness  the  ceremony. 

Above  the  south  end  of  the  steps,  on  an  elevated  block,  stands 
a  marble  group  by  Signor  Persico,  called  The  Discovery,  on 
which  he  worked  five  years.  It  consists  of  two  figures :  Colum- 
bus holding  the  globe  in  his  hand  triumphant,  while  beside  him, 
wondering,  almost  terror-stricken,  is  a  female  figure,  symboliz- 
ing the  Indian  race.     The  suit  of  armor  worn  by  Columbus  is 


Civ 

ilization. 

r-    - 

tf 

A 

^m 

'^B^ 

Greenough's  Washington. 


29 

said  to  be  a  faithful  copy  of  one  he  actually  wore.     The  group 
cost  $24,000. 

On  the  north  side  of  the  steps,  occupying  a  similar  elevation, 
is  another  marble  group — the  artist,  Horatio  Greenough — called 
Civilization,  or  the  Settlement  of  the  Country.  It  represents 
the  American  pioneer  in  conflict  with  the  Indian ;  the  fight  is 
desperate ;  the  wife  of  the  frontier  settler,  with  her  babe,  and  a 
faithful  dog,  are  the  adjuncts.  Greenough  was  at  work  eight 
years  on  this  group,  which  cost  $24,000. 

TYMPANUM  OF  THE  PORTICO. 

Before  we  enter  the  Portico  we  wiU  direct  attention  to  a  group 
of  allegorical  figures  of  colossal  size,  said  to  be  the  design  of 
John  Quiucy  Adams,  executed  by  Signor  Persico.  and  occupying 
the  tympanum  of  the  Portico — just  over  our  heads. 

The  central  figure  is  the  Genius  of  America,  crowned  with  a 
star,  holding  a  shield ;  on  it  are  the  letters  U.  S.  A.  The  shield 
rests  on  an  altar,  on  which,  within  an  oaken  wreath,  is  inscribed, 
"July  4,  1776."  At  her  feet  sits  an  eagle.  Behind  her  is  a 
spear.  Hope  on  her  left  rests  on  an  anciior.  America  directs 
the  attention  of  Hope  to  Justice,  who  has  in  her  right  hand  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States.  This  composition  is  wrought 
in  sandstone,  and  cost  $1,500. 

Within  niches  on  either  side  of  the  Bronze  Door  are  statues, 
also  the  work  of  Signor  Persico. 

The  one  on  the  north  side  is  War.  The  figure  grasps  in  his 
fight  hand  a  sword,  in  the  other,  a  shield.  His  costume  is  Ro- 
man, and  his  belt  and  tunic  are  ornamented  with  appropriate 
symbols. 

Peace  is  a  female  figure  of  majestic  beauty,  with  a  gentle, 
winning  smile,  and  in  simple  flowing  robes.  She  holds  a  fruit- 
bearing  olive  branch  in  her  hand.  The  cost  of  these  two  figures 
was  $6,000  each. 


32 

Above  the  Bronze  Door,  sculptured  in  stone  by  Capellano,  is  a 
bnst  of  Washington  crowned  by  Fame  and  Peace. 

THE  ROGERS  BRONZE  DOOR. 

This  is  the  main  central  door  of  the  Capitol,  and  on  it  is  a 
pictured  history  of  events  connected  with  the  life  of  Columbus 
and  the  discovery  of  America. 

The  door  weighs  20,000  pounds;  is  17  feet  high  and  9  feet 
wide ;  it  is  folding  or  double,  and  stands  sunk  back  inside  of  a 
bronze  casing,  which  projects  about  a  foot  forward  from  the 
leaves  or  valves.  On  this  casing  are  four  figures  at  the  top  and 
bottom,  representing  Asia,  Africa,  Europe,  and  America.  A 
border,  emblematic  of  conquest  and  navigation,  runs  along  the 
casing  between  them. 

The  Door  has  eight  Panels  beside  the  semi-circular  one  at  the 
top.     In  each  Panel  is  a  picture  in  alto-relievo. 

It  was  designed  by  Kandolph  Kogers,  an  American,  and  mod- 
elled by  him  in  Rome,  in  1858  ;  and  was  cast  by  F.  Von  Mliller, 
at  Munich,  in  1861. 

The  story  the  door  tells  is  the  History  of  Columbus  and 
the  Discovery  of  America. 

The  Panel  containing  the  earliest  event  in  the  life  of  the 
discoverer  is  the  lowest  one  on  the  south  side,  and  represents 
"Columbus  undergoing  an  Examination  before  the  Council  of 
Salamanca." 

The  Panel  above  it  contains  "Columbus'  Departure  from  the 
Convent  of  La  Rabida,"  near  Palos.  He  is  just  setting  out  to 
visit  the  Spanish  Court. 

The  one  above  it  is  his  "Audience  at  the  Court  of  Ferdinand 
and  Isabella." 

The  next  Panel  is  the  top  one  of  this  half  of  the  door,  and 
represents  the  "Starting  of  Columbus  from  Palos  on  his  first 
royage." 


83 

The  transom  Panel  occupies  the  semi-circular  sweep  over 
the  whole  door.  The  extended  picture  here  is  the  ' '  First  Land  • 
ing  of  the  Spaniards  at  San  Salvador." 

The  top  Panel  on  the  other  leaf  of  the  door  represents  the 
"First  Encounter  of  the  Discoverers  with  the  Natives."  In  it 
one  of  the  sailors  is  seen  bringing  an  Indian  gM  on  his  shoulders 
a  prisoner.  The  transaction  aroused  the  stem  indignation  of 
Columbus. 

The  Panel  next  below  this  one  has  in  it  "The  Triumphal 
Entry  of  Columbus  into  Barcelona." 

The  Panel  below  this  represents  a  very  different  scene,  and  is 
"Columbus  in  Chains." 

In  the  next  and  last  Panel  is  the  "Death  scene."  Columbus 
lies  in  bed.  The  last  rites  of  the  Catholic  Church  have  been 
administered ;  friends  and  attendants  are  around  him ;  and  a 
priest  holds  up  a  crucifix  for  him  to  kiss,  and  upon  it  bids  him  fix 
his  dying  eyes. 

On  the  Door,  on  the  sides  and  between  the  Panels,  are  sixteen 
small  statues,  set  in  niches,  of  eminent  contemporaries  of  Colum- 
bus. Their  names  are  marked  on  the  Door,  and  beginning  at 
the  bottom,  on  the  side  from  which  we  started  in  numbering  the 
Panels,  we  find  the  figure  in  the  lowest  niche  is  Perez ;  then 
above  him  is  Cortez,  and  again  standing  over  him  is  Ojeda. 

Vespucci  occupies  the  next  niche  on  the  door. 

Then,  opposite  in  line  across  the  door,  standing  in  two  nicheti, 
side  by  side,  are  Mendoza  and  Alexander  VI. 

Then  below  them  stand  Isabella  and  Ferdinand,  King  and 
Queen  of  Spain;  beneath  them  stands  the  Lady  Beatri:e  de 
Bobadilla  ;  beside  her  is  Charles  VIII,  King  of  France. 

The  first  figure  of  the  lowest  pair  on  the  door  is  Henry  VII, 
of  England ;  beside  him,  stands  John  II,  King  of  Portugal. 

Then,  in  the  same  line  with  them,  across  the  Panel,  is  Pinzon 
3 


34 

Ln  the  niche  above  Piuzou  stands  B.  Columbus,  the  brother 
'if  the  great  navigator. 

Then  comes  Vasco  Nunez  de  Balboa,  and  in  the  niche  above, 
again  ut  the  top  of  the  Door,  stands  the  figure  of  Francisco 
Pizarro,  the  conqueror  of  Peru. 

Between  the  Panels  and  at  top  and  bottom  of  the  valves  of  the 
Door  are  ten  projecting  heads.  Those  between  the  Panels  are 
historians  who  have  written  on  Columbus'  voyages  from  his  own 
time  down  to  the  present  day,  ending  with  Irving  and  Prescott. 

The  two  heads  at  the  tops  of  the  valves  are  female  heads,  while 
the  two  next  the  floor  possess  Indian  characteristics. 

Above,  over  the  transom  arch,  looks  down,  over  all,  the  serene 
grand  head  of  Columbus.  Beneath  it,  the  American  Eagle 
spreads  out  his  widely  extended  wings. 

Mr.  Eogers  received  $8,000  for  his  models,  and  Mr.  Von 
Miiller  was  paid  $17,000  in  gold  for  casting  the  Door.  To  a 
large  portion  of  this  latter  sum  must  be  added  the  high  premium 
on  exchange  which  ruled  during  the  war,  the  cost  of  storage  and 
iranspoi'tation,  and  the  expense  of  the  erection  of  the  Door  in 
the  Capitol  after  its  arrival.  These  items  would,  added  together, 
far  exceed  $30,000  in  the  then  national  currency. 

We  will  now  enter  the 

ROTUNDA. 

This  magnificent  apartment  occupies  the  centre  of  the  CapitoL 
It  is  97  feet  in  diameter  and  300  feet  in  circumference.  Its 
height,  from  the  floor  to  the  centre  of  the  pictured  canopy  which 
overhangs  it,  is  180  feet  3  inches. 

We  will  first  look  at  the  pictures  which  surround  its  circuit. 
There  are  eight  of  them,  each  occupying  a  large  panel,  and  they 
measure  18  by  12  feet. 

The  first  in  point  of  event  is  the  Landing  of  Columbus  at 


85 

San  Salvador  in  14U2  ;  by  John  Yanderlyn  ;  its  cost  was  $12,000. 
This  picture  represents  the  scene  Washington  Irving  so  admirably 
describes  in  his  "Voyages  of  Columbus,"  occurring  the  morning 
the  boats  brought  the  little  Spanish  band  from  the  ships  to  the 
shore.  "Columbus  first  threw  himself  upon  his  knees;  then 
rising,  drew  his  sword,  displayed  the  royal  standard,  and,  assem- 
bling round  him  the  two  captains,  with  Eodrigo  de  Escobeda, 
notary  of  the  armament,  Eodrigo  Sanchez,  [the  royal  inspector,] 
and  the  rest  who  had  landed,  he  took  solemn  possession  of  the 
island  in  the  name  of  the  Castilian  sovereigns."  The  picture 
contains  the  figures  of  Columbus,  the  two  Pinzons,  Escobedo,  all 
bearing  standards ;  Sanchez,  inspector ;  Diego  de  Arana,  with 
an  old-fashioned  arquebus  on  his  shoulder ;  a  cabin-boy  kneel- 
ing ;  a  mutineer  in  a  suppliant  attitude ;  a  sailor  in  an  attitude 
of  veneration  for  Columbus ;  a  soldier  whose  attention  is  diverted 
by  the  appearance  of  the  natives,  and  a  friar  bearing  a  crucifix. 

The  second  picture  in  succession  of  event,  1541,  is  De  Soto's 
Discovery  of  the  Mississippi,  painted  by  Wm.  H.  Powell ;  cost 
$15,000.  The  scene  is  a  view  of  the  Mississippi  river,  with 
islands  in  sight  and  canoes  filled  with  Indians.  On  the  bank, 
soldiers  and  priests  are  planting  a  cross ;  to  the  left  are  wigwams 
and  a  group  of  Indians.  De  Soto  on  horseback  is  approaching 
the  river  in  state,  attended  by  a  train  of  followers.  A  camp- 
chest,  with  arms,  and  a  soldier  dressing  his  wounded  leg,  are 
accessories  of  the  painting. 

The  next  in  order  of  time,  1613,  is  The  Baptism  of  Poca- 
hontas, by  John  Gadsby  Chapman;  cost  $10,000. 

This  picture  tells  its  own  story.  The  characters  introduced 
are  Pocahontas,  John  Kolfe,  afterwards  her  husband,  with  the 
Rev.  Alex.  Whitaker,  who  is  performing  the  ceremony;  Sir  Thomas 
Dale  stands  on  his  right,  his  standard-bearer  and  page  near  him. 
The  sister  of  Pocahontas,  with  her  child,  is  seated  on  the  Qoor 


36 

Opechankanough,  an  Indian  chief,  also  is  seated,  while  Nanta- 
quaas  and  Opachisco,  her  brother  and  uncle,  stand  near  her. 
Other  figures,  male  and  female,  are  stationed  in  different  parts 
of  the  church ;  among  them  are  Kichard  Wyffin,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Forrest,  John  and  Anne  Laydon,  and  Henry  Spilman. 

The  succeeding  picture,  in  chronological  series,  is  The  Em- 
barcation  of  the  Pilgrims  from  Delft-Haven,  in  Holland,  21st 
July,  1620.     Painted  by  Robert  Walter  Weir.     Cost  $10,000. 

The  scene  depicted  is  the  deUvery  of  the  parting  prayer  of  Mr. 
Robinson,  the  pastor  of  the  little  congregation,  on  board  the 
Speedwell,  surrounded  by  the  pilgrims  and  their  friends.  The 
persons  represented  are  the  pastor,  then  Elder  Wm.  Brewster, 
with  open  Bible  before  him,  Mrs.  Brewster  and  a  sick  child.  Gov. 
Carver,  Wm.  Bradford,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fuller,  Miles  Standish  and 
Rose,  his  wife,  Mrs.  Carver  and  child,  Mrs.  Bradford,  Captain 
Reynolds  and  sailor,  with  several  children,  a  nurse,  etc. 

The  four  other  pictures  were  painted  by  Col.  John  Trumbull, 
son  of  Jonathan  Trumbull,  governor  of  Connecticut  previous  to 
and  during  the  Revolution.  Col.  Trumbull  was  himself  at  one 
time  aid-de-camp  of  General  Washington,  but  retired  from  the 
service  in  1777. 

The  Trumbull  series  of  pictures  are  especially  valuable,  because 
each  of  the  many  faces  painted  in  them  are  actual  likenesses, 
for  which  many  of  the  subjects  sat  to  the  artist,  and  when  this 
was  not  the  case,  copies  of  portraits  at  the  time  in  the  possession 
of  the  respective  families  were  introduced.  The  paintings  are 
the  result  of  many  years'  devotion  to  his  art  by  Col.  Trumbull, 
and  of  a  patriotic  endeavor  to  perpetuate  the  grand  deeds  which 
they  commemorate. 

Col.  Trumbull  received  for  these  four  pictures  $32,000.  They 
were  ordered  in  1817  and  finished  in  1824,  Col.  TnunbuU  was 
bom  :756;  died  1843. 


37 

The  Declaration  of  Independence,  1776.  The  room  is  copied 
from  that  in  which  Congress  sat.  The  Committee  of  Five  who 
reported  the  draft  of  the  Declaration,  Jefferson,  John  Adams, 
Franklin,  Sherman,  and  R.  E.  Livingston,  stand  near  the  table 
ttt  which  Hancock,  the  president,  sits. 

The  other  portraits  are,  commencing  on  the  extreme  left,  1, 
George  Wythe,  of  Va.;  2,  Wm.  Whipple  and,  3,  Josiah  Bartlett, 
of  N.  H.;  4,  Benj.  Harrison,  of  Va.;  5,  Thomas  Lynch,  of  S.  C; 
6,  Richard  Henry  Lee,  of  Va.;  7,  Samuel  Adams,  of  Mass.;  8, 
George  Clinton,  of  N.  Y.;  9,  WiUiam  Paca  and,  10,  Samuel 
Chase,  of  Md.;  11,  Lewis  Morris  and,  12,  William  Floyd,  of  N. 
Y.;  13,  Arthur  Middleton  and,  14,  Thomas  Hay  ward,  of  S.  C; 
15,  Charles  Carroll,  of  Md.;  IG,  George  Walton,  of  Ga.;  17,  Rob- 
ert Morris,  18,  Thomas  Willing,  and,  19,  Benjamin  Rush,  of  Pa.; 
20,  Elbridge  Gerry  and,  21,  Robert  Treat  Payne,  of  Mass.;  22, 
Abraham  Clark,  of  N.  J. ;  23,  Stephen  Hopkins  and,  24,  William 
Ellery,  of  R.  I. ;  25,  George  Clymer,  of  Pa. ;  26,  William  Hooper 
and,  27,  Joseph  Hewes,  of  N.  C;  28,  James  Wilson,  of  Pa.,  and 
29,  Francis  Hopkinson,  of  N.  J. 

Then  comes  the  Committee  of  Five,  already  noted;  after 
which,  still  continuing,  are — 

35,  Richard  Stockton,  of  N.  J.;  36,  Francis  Lewis,  of  N.  Y.; 
37,  John  Witherspoon,  of  N.  J.;  38,  Samuel  Huntington,  39, 
William  Williams,  and,  40,  Oliver  Wolcott,  of  Conn.;  41,  John 
Hancock,  of  Mass.,  President  of  Congress;  42,  Charles  Thomp- 
son, of  Pa.;  43,  George  Reed  and,  44,  John  Dickinson,  of  Del.; 
45,  Edward  Rutledge,  of  S.  C;  46,  Thomas  McKean,  of  Pa.; 
and,  47,  Philip  Livingston,  of  N.  Y. 

Surrender  of  General  Burgoyne,  Saratoga,  Oct.  17,  1777. 
"The  painting  represents  Gen.  Burgoyne,  attended  by  Gen. 
Phillips,  and  followed  by  other  officers,  arriving  near  the  marque 
of  Gen.  Gates. 


'68 

"  Gen.  Gates  has  advanced  a  few  steps  to  meet  his  prisoner, 
who,  with  Gen.  Phillips,  has  dismounted,  and  is  in  the  act  of 
offering  his  sword,  which  Gen.  Gates  declines  to  receive,  and  in- 
vites them  to  enter  and  partake  of  refreshments.  A  number  of 
the  principal  oflQcers  of  the  American  army  are  assembled  near 
their  General."     These  we  will  now  enumerate. 

(The  numbering  commences  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  picture.) 

1,  Major  Lithgow,  of  Mass.;  2,  Colonel  Cilly  and,  3,  General 
Stark,  of  N.  H.;  4,  Captain  Seymour,  of  Conn.,  of  Sheldon's 
horse;  n,  Major  Hull,  and,  6,  Colonel Greaton,  of  Mass.;  7,  Major 
Dearborn,  and,  8,  Colonel  Scammell,  of  N.  H.;  and,  9,  Colonel 
Lewis,  Quartermaster-General,  N.  Y.  10,  Major-General  Phil- 
lips, of  the  British  army;  11,  Lieutenant-General  Burgoyne, 
British,  and,  12,  General  Baron  Reidesel,  German.  13,  Colonel 
Wilkinson,  Deputy  Adjutant-General,  American;  14,  General 
Gates ;  15,  Colonel  Prescott,  Mass.  Volunteers ;  16,  Colonel  Mor- 
gan, Va.  Riflemen;  17,  Brigadier-General  Eufus  Putnam,  of 
Mass.;  18,  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  Brooks,  late  Governor  of 
Mass.;  19,  EeverendMr.  Hitchcock,  Chaplain,  of  R.  I.;  20,  Major 
Robert  Troup,  Aid-de-Camp,  N.  Y.  ;  21,  Major  Haskell,  of 
Mass.;  22,  Major  Armstrong,  Aid-de-Camp;  23,  Major-General 
Philip  Schuyler,  Albany;  24,  Brigadier-General  Glover,  of  Mass.; 
25,  Brigadier-General  Whipple,  N.  H.  Militia  ;  26,  Major  Matthew 
Clarkson,  Aid-de-Camp,  N.Y.,  and,  27,  Major  Ebenezer  Stevens, 
of  Mass. ,  Commander  of  Artillery. 

Surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis,  at  Yorktown,  Oct.  19,  1781. 
This  was  the  triiimphant  closing  scene  of  the  war ;  and  the 
glory  of  the  triumph  seems  to  linger  on  the  glowing  canvas. 

"The  painting  represents  the  moment  when  the  principal 
ofi&cers  of  the  British  army,  conducted  by  Gen.  Lincoln,  are 
passing  the  two  groups  of  American  and  French  generals,  and 
entering  between  the  two  lines  of  the  victors. " 


39 

The  names  of  the  officers  represented  will  be  found  below. 
The  portraits  of  the  French  officers  were  obtained  in  Paris  in 
1787,  and  were  painted  from  the  living  men  in  the  house  of  Mr. 
Jefferson,  then  Minister  to  France  from  the  United  States. 

"Lord  Cornwallis  himself  did  not  appear.  The  British  forces 
were  led  by  Gen.  O'Hara,  who,  approaching  Gen.  Washington, 
book  off  his  hat  and  apologized  for  the  non-appearance  of  Lord 
Cornwallis,  on  account  of  indisposition.  Washington  received 
him  with  dignified  courtesy,  but  pointed  him  to  Major-General 
Lincoln  as  the  officer  who  was  to  receive  the  submission  of  the 
garrison." 

1,  Count  Deuxponts,  Colonel  of  French  Infantry  ;  2,  Duke  de 
Laval  Montmorency,  Colonel  of  French  Infantry  ;  3,  Count  Cus- 
tine.  Colonel  of  French  Infantry ;  4,  Duke  de  Lauzun,  Colone] 
of  French  Cavalry ;  5,  General  Choizy ;  6,  Viscount  Viomenil ; 
7,  Marquis  de  St.  Simon ;  8,  Count  Fersen,  Aid-de-Camp  ;  and, 

9,  Count  Charles  Damas,  Aid-de-Camp  of  Count  Kochambeau ; 

10,  Marquis  Chastellnx;  11,  Baron  Viomenil;  12,  Count  de 
Barras,  Admiral;  13,  Count  de  Grasse,  Admiral;  14,  Count 
Rochambeau,  General  en  Chef  des  Fran^aise ;  15,  General  Lin- 
coln ;  16,  Colonel  Ebenezer  Stevens,  of  the  American  Artillery; 
17,  General  Washington,  Commander-in-Chief;  18,  Thomas 
Nelson,  Governor  of  Va. ;  19,  Marquis  La  Fayette ;  20,  Baron 
Steuben ;  21,  Colonel  Cobb,  Aid-de-Camp  to  General  Washing- 
ton ;  22,  Colonel  Trumbull,  Secretary  to  General  Washington ; 
23,  Major-General  James  Clinton,  N.  Y.;  24,  General  Gist, 
Maryland;  25,  General  Anthony  Wayne,  Penn.;  26,  General 
Hand,  Adjutant-General,  Penn.;  27,  General  Peter  Muhlenberg, 
Penn. ;  28,  Major-General  Henry  Knox,  Commander  of  Artillery  ; 
29,  Lieutenant-Colonel  E.  Huntington,  Acting  Aid-de-Camp  of 
General  Lincoln  ;  30,  Colonel  Timothy  Pickering,  Quartermaster- 
General  ;  31,  Colonel  Alexander  Hamilton,  Commanding  Light 


40 

Infantry;  32,  Colon  elJohn  Laurens,  of  S.  C;  3a,  Colonel  Wal- 
ter  Stuart,  of  Philadelphia ;  and,  34,  Colonel  Nicholas  Fish,  of 
N.  Y. 

Resignation  of  General  Washington  :  Annapolis,  Dec.  23, 
1783.  General  Washington,  after  taking  leave  of  his  old  com- 
rades at  New  York,  accompanied  by  only  two  of  them,  proceeded 
to  Annapolis,  where  Congress  was  then  sitting,  and  there  resigned 
his  commission. 

The  persons  introduced,  whose  portraits  are  given,  are : 
1,  Thomas  Mifflin,  of  Pa.,  President  of  Congress;  2,  Charles 
Thompson,  of  Pa;  3,  Elbridge  Gen-y,  of  Mass.;  4.  Hugh  Wil- 
liamson, of  N.  C;  5,  Samuel  Osgood,  of  Mass.;  G,  Edward  Mc- 
Comb,  of  Del.;  7,  George  Partridge,  of  Mass.;  8,  Edward  Lloyd, 
of  Md.;  9,  R.  D.  Spaight  and  10,  Benjamin  Hawkins,  of  N.  C; 
11,  A.  Foster,  of  N.  H.;  12,  Thomas  Jefferson,  of  Va,;  13,  Ar- 
thur Lee,  of  Va.;  14,  David  Howell,  of  11. 1.;  15,  James  Monroe, 
of  Va.;  16,  Jacob  Reid,  of  S.  C.,'members  of  Congress;  17, 
James  Madison,  of  Va.,  spectator;  18,  William  EUery,  of  R.  I.; 
HI,  Jeremiah  Townley  Chase,  of  Md.;  20,  S.  Hardy,  of  Va.;  21, 
Charles  Morris,  of  Pa.,  members;  22,  General  George  Washing- 
ton ;  23,  Colonel  Benjamin  Walker,  and  24,  Colonel  David  Hum- 
phrys,  Aids-de-Camp  ;  then,  25,  General  Smallwood,  of  Md. ;  26, 
General  Otho  Holland  Williams,  or  Md.;  27,  Colonel  Samuel 
Smith,  of  Md.;  28,  Colonel  John  E.  Howard,  of  Baltimore,  Md.; 
29,  Charles  Carroll,  and  two  daughters,  of  Md.;  30,  Daniel,  of 
St.  Thomas  Jennifer,  Md.;  31,  Mrs,  Washington,  and  her  grand- 
children, spectators. 

Relievos  in  the  Rotunda. 

Over  each  of  the  four  doors  leading  from  the  Rotunda  are 
alto-relievos  in  stitne.  The  cost  of  the  four  is  said  to  have  been 
tl4,000. 


41 

The  group  over  the  east  door  is  "  The  Landing  of  the  Pilgrims 
on  Plymouth  Eock  in  1620."  The  artist  was  Signor  Enrico 
Causici,  of  Verona,  a  pupil  of  Canova. 

That  over  the  north  doorway  is  "  William  Penn's  Treaty  with 
the  Indians  in  1686."  A  Frenchman,  Monsieur  N.  Gevelot,  exe- 
cuted this  work  in  1827. 

Over  the  door  opening  west  is  "  The  Preservation  of  Captain 
Smith  by  Pocahontas  in  1606."  Signor  Capellano,  another  pupil 
of  Canova,  was  the  artist.     It  was  executed  in  1825. 

The  group  over  the  doorway  leading  south  is  the  "  Conflict 
between  Daniel  Boone  and  the  Indians,  1775."  This  is  the  work 
of  Causici. 

Eight  long  narrow  basso-relievos  of  arabesque  pattern  are  in 
the  panels  above  the  pictures.     Four  of  them  contain  medallion 
heads.     The  heads  are  portraits  of  Columbus,  Cabot,  Sir  Wal- 
ter Raleigh,  and  La  Salle.     The  whole  of  them  cost  $9,500. 
The  Belt  of  the  Rotunda. 

There  is  above  the  architrave  a  sunken  space  or  kind  of 
shelf,  about  9  feet  high,  traversing  the  whole  circuit  of  the  Ro- 
tunda. This  is  now  being  tilled  with  a  fresco  in  chiaro-oscuro 
in  imitation  of  alto-relkvo.  It  is  a  series  of  Sketches  of  Ameri- 
can History,  and  is  so  wonderful  in  execution  that,  from  the 
floor  of  the  Rotunda,  it  seems  incredible  that  it  is  not  a  reUef. 

The  series  commences  immediately  above  the  west  door  of  the 
chamber.  The  first  tall  figure  is  America  armed  with  spear  and 
shield,  at  her  feet  the  eagle  ;  seated  on  the  ground  on  her  right 
is  the  American  Indian  with  bow  and  arrows ;  and  in  the  same 
position  on  her  left  the  Genius  of  History  sketching  events. 

The  looker-on  must  now  imagine  himself  looking  into  the 
sketch-book,  the  first  scene  of  which  is, 

"The  Landing  of  Columbus." 

The  second, ' '  Cortez  entering  the  Temple  of  the  Sun  in  Mexico." 


42 

The  third,  "Pizarro,  with  the  horse,  i)rogressing  in  the  con- 
quest of  Peru." 

The  fourth,   "The  burial  of  De  Soto  in  the  Mississippi  river." 

The  fifth,  "The  rescue  of  Captain  John  Smith  by  Poca- 
hontas." 

The  sixth,  "The  disembarkation  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers." 

The  seventh,  "  Penn's  treaty  with  the  Indians  and  settlement 
of  Pennsylvania." 

The  eighth,  ' '  The  Industrial  Colonization  of  the  New  England 
States." 

The  ninth,  "Gen.  Oglethorpe  and  Muscogee  Chief,"  an  inci- 
dent in  the  colonization  of  Georgia. 

The  tenth,  "The  Battle  of  Lexington." 

The  eleventh,  "The  Declaration  of  Independence." 

The  twelfth,   "The  surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis." 

The  thirteenth,   "The  death  of  Tecumseh." 

The  fourteenth,  "  The  American  Army  entering  the  city  of 
Mexico." 

The  fifteenth  and  last,  completing  the  circuit  of  the  belt, 
"Laborers  in  the  gold  mines  of  California.'' 

The  estimated  cost  of  this  picture  is  $10,000. 

A  short  distance  above  the  frieze  thirty-six  tall  windows  admit 
a  flood  of  light  into  the  chamber.  Above  them  springs  the  arcL 
of  the  dome,  lessening  in  curvature  like  the  inside  of  an  egg 
shell,  until  contracted  to  a  space  of  50  feet  in  diameter,  forming 
the  eye  of  the  dome. 

Beyond  and  over  this  open  eye,  within  the  canopy  that  over- 
hangs it,  is  painted  Brumidi's  allegorical  fresco  of  the  Apotheosia 
of  Washington.* 

*  The  word  "Apotheosis"  is  of  Greek  origin,  and  means  the  enrolment  cf  a 
mortal  among  the  gods. 


43 

Brumidi's  Allegorical  Painting. 

The  central  group  of  the  picture  represents  "Washington 
seated  in  majesty.  On  his  right  is  the  Goddess  of  Libebty, 
and  on  his  left  is  a  winged  idealization  of  Victory  and  Fame — 
sounding  a  trumpet  and  displaying  the  victor's  palm.  Before 
the  three,  forming  a  semicircle,  are  thirteen  female  figures. 
They  represent  the  thirteen  original  States ;  each  is  crowned 
with  a  star,  and  they  hold  up  a  ribbon-banner  inscribed  "^ 
Pluribus  Unum.'" 

Below  this  centre  group  are  six  other  groups  round  the  base 
of  the  canopy. 

The  first,  occupying  the  west,  is  War.  Freedom,  with  uplifted 
sword,  is  striking  down  tyranny  and  kingly  power.  An  angry 
Eagle,  striking  with  his  beak,  is  fighting  for,  and  by  the  side  of. 
Freedom. 

The  second  is  Agricultdre.  Ceres,  Flora,  and  Pomona  figure 
in  this  group. 

Then  succeeds  Mechanics.  Vulcan,  with  his  right  foot  rest- 
ing on  a  cannon,  and  surrounded  by  machinery,  forges,  mortars, 
and  cannon  balls,  is  the  stalwart  genius  of  this  group. 

The  next,  and  occupying  the  east,  is  Commerce.  Mercubt 
holds  in  his  hand  a  bag  of  gold,  to  which  he  is  directing  the  at- 
tention of  KoBERT  Morris. 

The  group  beside  this  symbolizes  the  Marine.  Aphrodite, 
[Venus,]  half  risen  from  the  waves,  holds  in  her  hand  the  Atlan- 
tic  cable,  given  her  by  a  winged  cherub,  and  is  about  dropping 
it  into  the  sea.  Neptune,  astonished,  is  emerging  from  the 
deep. 

The  last  is  The  Arts  and  Sciences.  Minerva  stands  glo- 
riously prominent  with  helmet  and  spear.  Near  her,  attentive 
to  her  teachings,  are  Benjamin  Franklin,  Egbert  Fulton,  and 
S.  F.  B.  Morse.     There  are  also  boys,  with  wondering  eyes  and 


44 

expressive  gestures,  listening  to  the  instruction  of  a  school* 
teacher. 

This  painting  covers  an  area  of  4,604  square  feet. 

Mr.  Brumidi  received  for  this  work  $39,500. 

The  circumference  of  the  base  of  the  canopy  is  205  feet  4  inches ; 
its  diameter  is  65  feet  4  inches,  and  its  height  from  base  to  top, 
in  a  straight  line,  is  20  feet  7j  inches.  [These  dimensions  were 
obtained  at  the  office  of  Edward  Clark,  Esq.,  present  Architect  of 
the  Capitol  Extension  and  the  New  Dome,  a  pupil  of  the  designer 
and  former  Architect,  Thomas  U.  Walter,  Esq.] 

Signer  C.  Brumidi. 

It  is  natural  to  desire  to  know  something  of  the  artist  to  whom 
we  are  indebted  for  this  painting.  Signor  C.  Brumidi  is  an  Ital- 
ian, and  was  born  in  Rome  about  1806.  He  came  to  America  in 
1852,  and  is  a  naturalized  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

He  has  been  mainly  engaged  for  years  in  ornamenting  various 
portions  of  the  walls  of  the  Capitol,  and  his  name  will  ever  be 
associated  with  the  history  and  beauty  of  our  world-renowned 
national  building. 

He  also  painted  the  frescoes  which  adorn  the  Cathedral  of 
Saint  Peter  and  Saint  Paul,  in  Philadelphia. 

Wall  Preparation,  etc. 

The  preparation  of  the  plaster  giound-work  for  the  artist  was 
the  work  of  Mr.  Joseph  Beckert. 

The  Whispering  Gallery  of  the  Capitol. 
The  spherical  shape  of  the  canopy,  inside  of  which  the  picture 
we  have  just  described  is  painted,  causes  an  interesting  acoustic 
result.  Two  persons,  standing  immediately  opposite  each  other, 
can  converse  with  the  utmost  ease  in  a  low  tone  of  voice — in- 
deed, if  it  is  silent  in  the  Rotunda  beneath,   a  whisper  can  be 


"S 

//  1      1 

"'? 

^^IK^ 

^, 

1 

"'-'^^i* 

_       1 

^^^&- 

yl|*^ 

^"'"1 

■ 

"Hi 

^ 

47 

distinctly  heard  across  the  immense  concave.  The  voice  of  the 
person  speaking,  however,  seems  to  be  talking  immediately  op- 
posite and  above  the  position  he  really  occupies.  It  is  well  worth 
the  climb  to  observe  this  singular  effect. 

The  stairway  still  ascends  above  the  picture,  and  traverses  the 
'op  of  the  canopy  between  the  two  shells,  until  it  reaches  the 

Tholus"  or  "lantern"  of  the  Dome. 

The  Statue  of  Freedom 
crowns  the  Dome.  It  weighs  1-4,985  pounds,  and  was  placed  in 
position  Dec.  2,  1863.  The  forts  then  surrounding  Washington 
fired  a  salute  in  honor  of  the  occasion.  Mr.  Crawford  received 
for  his  model  $3,000,  and  the  casting  of  it,  by  Mr.  Clark  Mills, 
with  all  the  attending  expenses,  netted  an  additional  sum  of 
$20,796.82. 

For  years  previous  to  1880,  the  Rotunda,  Dome,  and  Tholus 
were  lighted  at  night-time  by  1,280  gas-jets  ignited  by  electricity. 
The  electric-room  is  in  the  central  portion  of  the  building. 

We  will  now  descend  from  the  Dome  again  to  the  Rotunda,  and 
enter  the  doorway  leading  south  from  that  apartment. 

Passing  through  a  small  vestibule,  we  shall  then  find  ourselves 
in  the 

Old  Hall  of  Representatives. 

This  chamber,  resembling  an  ancient  Grecian  theatre,  is  95 
feet  long,  and  60  feet  in  height  to  the  most  elevated  point  of  the 
ceiling.  Twenty-six  piUars  and  pilasters  of  Potomac  marble 
support  a  dome  with  painted  caissons.  A  cupola,  painted  by 
Bonani,  an  Italian,  admits  light  from  above. 

Under  a  sweeping  arch  near  the  dome  is  a  colossal  figure  of 
Liberty,  by  Causici,  in  plaster.  Beneath  it,  on  the  entablature, 
is  sculptured,  in  stone,  the  American  eagle  in  the  act  of  taking 
wing,  by  Valperti,  also  an  Italian. 


48 

Opposite,  over  the  door  through  which  we  entered,  stands  the 
old  marble  clock  of  the  Hall.  It  represents  the  Genius  of  His- 
tory recording  the  events  of  the  nation.  She  stands  in  a  grace- 
ful attitude,  with  pen  in  hand,  on  a  winged  car  rolling  over  a 
globe.  The  wheel  of  the  car  serves  as  the  face  of  the  clock. 
This  beautiful  work  of  art  was  executed  by  Signor  C.  Franzoni, 
an  Italian,  who  died  May  12,  1819.  The  credit  of  designing  it 
is  a  matter  of  controversy. 

This  Old  Hall  is  now  used  as  a  statuary-room,  in  compliance 
with  a  suggestion  of  Senator  Justin  S.  Morrill,  of  Vermont,  made 
when  a  member  of  the  House,  that ' '  each  State  should  be  permit- 
ted to  send  the  effigies  of  two  of  her  chosen  sons,  in  marble  or 
bronze,  to  be  placed  permanently  here."  Other  statuary,  be- 
longing to  the  Government,  mostly  of  historical  interest,  with 
paintings,  etc.,  have  also  been  placed  in  their  companionship. 

Of  this  latter  class  we  will  first  speak  :  Among  them  stands  a 
plaster  cast  of 

Houdon's  Washington. 

Houdon  came  fi-om  France  with  Franklin  in  1785,  and  obtained 
his  model  from  Washington  himself.  He  remained  a  guest  for 
two  weeks  at  Mount  Vernon.  The  present  copy  was  taken  by 
Hubard,  and  cost  $2,000. 

Bust  of  Kosciusko. 
Bom  1755,  died  1817.     The  artist  who  made  this  bust  was  also 
a  Pole,  named  Mochowski.     He  assumed  as  his  American  name 
that  of  Saunders.     It  cost  $500. 

Miss  Ream's  Statue  of  Lincoln. 
In  1866  Congress  appropriated  $10,000  for  a  full-length  statue 
of  Mr.  Lincoln.  Miss  Ream,  of  Washington  city,  received  the 
commission  for  its  execution.  The  work  was  finished  in  1870, 
and  on  its  completion  an  additional  $5,000  was  obtained  by  her 
from  Congress. 


49 

Ames'  Bust  of  Lincoln. 
Mrs.  Sarah  Fisher  Ames,  of  Mass. ,  received  an  order  in  1868 
from  Congress  to  make  a  bust  of  President  Lincoln,  She  re- 
ceived $2,000  for  her  work.  It  stands  on  a  Scotch  granite  pedes- 
tal, presented  by  A.  Macdonald,  Field  &  Co.,  of  Aberdeen,  Scot- 
land. 

Bust  of  Thomas  Crawford. 

Crawford  was  the  artist  who  designed  the  statue  of  Freedom, 
the  Senate  Bronze  Door,  the  marble  group  above  it,  and  the 
marble  figures  ornamenting  the  tympanum  of  the  Senate  Exten- 
sion Portico.  His  bust  is  the  work  of  T.  GagHardi.  The  price 
paid  for  it  was  $100. 

Statue  of  Alexander  Hamilton. 
Dr.  Horatio  Stone,  of  Washington  city,  executed  this  statue  in 
Eome.     It  arrived  from  Italy  in  1868,  and  coet  $10,000. 

The  Bronze  Statue  of  Thomas  Jefferson, 
by  David  d' Angers,  a  French  sculptor,  was  presented  to  Con- 
gress by  Lieutenant  Uriah  P.  Levy,  U.  S.  Navy,  in  1834,  but  was 
not  formally  accepted  by  Government  until  1873.  It  stood,  long 
ago,  in  the  Rotunda,  and  after  its  removal  from  there  was  placed 
in  front  of  the  President's  House,  a  position  it  occupied  for 
many  years.  After  its  acceptance,  upon  the  motion  of  Senator 
Sumner  it  was  finally  located  in  the  old  Hall.  This  bronze  was 
cast  by  Honor i  Oonon  et  ses  deux  fils. 

The   Portraits. 
These  are  a  Mosaic  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  presented  by  Signer  Sal- 
viati,  of  Yenics.     Signor  Salviati  is  the  great  manufacturer  of 
mosaic  work  in  Italy.     The  probable  mercantile  value  of   this 
mosaic  ts  aboub  :25l,000.     Also, 

4 


5U 

A  portrait  of  Joshua  R.  Giddings,  by  Miss  C.  L.  Ransom. 
Cost,  $1,000. 

A  likeness  of  Charles  Carroll,  of  CarroUton,  bom  1737,  died 
1832  ;  the  last  surviving  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence.    Painted  by  Chester  Harding.     Cost,  $500. 

In  1872  a  portrait  of  Gunning  Bedford,  a  member  of  the  Con- 
tinental Congress  from  Delaware,  was  presented  by  the  heirs  of 
the  family  to  Government. 

A  portrait  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  by  Sully — an  original,  es- 
teemed an  admirable  picture — placed  here  in  1875.     Cost,  $200. 

A  portrait  of  Benjamin  West,  painted  by  himself,  is  also  a 
recent  addition. 

An  original  portrait  of  General  Washington,  by  Stuart,  pur- 
chased in  1876,  by  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library,  from  ex- 
Senator  Chesnut,  of  Camden,  S.  C,  for  $1,200. 

Statuary  Furnished  by  the  States. 
Rhode  Island  contributed  the  first  of  aU  the  States  the  per- 
mitted quota,  viz : 

Major-General  Nathaniel  Greene, 
bom  1742,  died  1786.     The  sculptor  was  Henry  K.  Brown.    The 
work  is  dated  Rome,  1869,  Aug.  6.     And 

Roger  Williams, 
the  pioneer-apostle  of  liberty  of  religious  opinion ;  bom  160fi, 
died  1683.     The  artist  was  Franklin  Simmons,  of  R.  I.     The 
marble  was  cut  in  Rome.     Date,  1870. 
Connecticut  was  the  next  to  send  her  marble  representation. 

One  is 

Jonathan  Trumbull, 

\he  last  colonial  governor  of  the  State,  who  became  a  tower  of 
strength  to  the  revolutionary  movement.    Bom  1710 ;  died  1786. 


51 

He  was  the  father  of  the  painter,  Col.  Trumbull ;  he  also  was  the 
intimate  friend  of  Washington,  and  because  of  their  familiar 
intercourse  Washington  applied  to  him  the  soubriquet  of  Brother 
Jonathan.     The  other  is 

Roger  Sherman, 
the  shoemaker,  afterward  lawyer,  judge,  delegate  to  Congress, 
one  of  the  Committee  of  Five,  and  signer  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  is  the  other.  Bom  1721 ;  died  1793.  The  artist, 
E.  E.  Ives,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  made  both  these  statues  in 
Rome.  They  were  formally  unveiled  February,  1872. 
New  York  has  sent  in  bronze 

George  Clinton, 
who  died  at  Washington  city  in   1812.     Vice-President  U.  S. 
Artist,  Henry  R.  Brown;  1873.     Founders,  Robert  Wood  &  Co., 
Philadelphia.     And 

Robert  R.  Livingston, 
one  of  the  Committee  of  Five  who  presented  the  Report,  but  who 
was  not  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  He  was 
the  first  chancellor  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  administered 
the  oath  of  office  to  President  Washington.  He  was  also  Minis- 
ter to  France  when  the  purchase  of  Louisiana  was  completed. 
E.  D.  Palmer,  artist;  1874.  Cast  by  F.  Barbedienne,  founder, 
Paris. 

Gov.  John  Winthrop 
is  a  contribution  from  the  State  of  ]\Iassachusetts.     By  Richard 
S.  Greenough,  the  brother  of  Horatio  Greenongh.     And 

Samuel  Adams, 
who  has  been  proudly  denominated  "The  Father  of  the  Revo- 
lution."    George  Clymer  wrote  of  him  in  1773  :  "AU  good  men 


52 

should  erect  a  statue  to  him  in  their  hearts."  Samuel  Adams  was 
bom  in  Boston,  Sept.  22,  1722 ;  died  Oct.  2,  1803.  He  was  a 
cousin  of  John  Adams,  second  President  of  the  United  States. 

The  bitterness  of  Tory  hate  against  him  is  manifested  in  the 
words  of  Bernard,  who  wrote  :  "  Damn  Samuel  Adams  !  every 
dip  of  his  pen  stings  like  a  homed  snake. " 

The  artist,  Miss  "Whitney,  has  produced  an  admirable  statue 
of  the  Revolutionary  hero. 

Col.  Ethan  Allen 
is  one  of  the  representative  figures  sent  from  Vermont.     It  is  of 
colossal  size.     Artist,  Lukin  G.  Mead. 

Governor  Wm.   King. 

The  State  of  Maine  has  sent  as  her  first  gift  to  this  silent  as- 
sembly the  statue  of  her  earliest  governor.  Gov.  King  was  bom 
at  Scarborough,  Me.,  in  1768.  He  was  president  of  the  con- 
vention which  framed  the  constitution  of  his  native  State.  Maine 
was  admitted  a  member  of  the  Federal  Union  March  15,  1820. 
It  was  formed  from  territory  of  Massachusetts. 

Franklin  Simmons,  artist,  1877. 


53 

Col.  Edward  D.  Baker. 

This  statue  was  ordered  by  Congress,  and  cost  $10,000.  Born 
in  England,  of  poor  parents,  Col.  Baker  came  a  boy  to  this 
country,  where,  with  his  father,  he  worked  at  weaving.  He 
eventually  became  a  Senator  of  the  U.  S.  from  Oregon,  and  died 
at  Ball's  Bluff,  near  Leesburg,  gallantly  fighting  rebellion  at  the 
head  of  his  regiment,  Oct.  21,  1861.  The  artist  was  Horatio 
Stone,  and  this  statue  was  the  last  work  of  his  graceful  chisel. 
Doctor  Stone  died  in  Italy  in  1875. 

In  this  old  hall  of  Kepresentatives  several  curious  acoustic 
properties  are  obseiwable.  When  in  use  as  a  legislative  chamber 
they  were  exceedingly  annoying,  and  made  hearing  therein  diflfi- 
cnlt.  Now  the  same  effects  cause  wonder  and  amusement  to  the 
passing  visitor.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  describe  intelhgibly 
their  effect.  Guides,  or  the  police  officers  in  attendance,  will 
willingly  point  out  their  characteristics  to  strangers. 
CENTENNIAL  SAFE. 

In  this  hall  stands  a  large  fire- proof  safe  filled  with  records  of 
national  interest,  relative  to  the  close  of  our  first  centennial  era. 
The  safe  is  permanently  closed,  and  not  to  be  opened  until  1976 


54 

The  Electric  Light. 

Before  leaving  this  portion  of  the  original  Capitol,  it  may 
prove  interesting  to  state  something  with  regard  to  the  experi- 
ments made  with  a  view  to  lighting  the  new  hall  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  by  the  electric  light.  ISIr.  J.  H.  Rogers,  elec- 
trician of  the  Capitol,  in  his  report  submitted  to  Congress  in 
December,  1879,  after  enumerating  in  scientific  language  a  num- 
ber of  difficulties  he  had  surmounted,  says,  "and now  only  a  shght 
flickering  remains,  which  we  hope  soon  to  overcome.  Such  is 
the  sensibility  of  the  eye  to  the  flickering  rays  of  light,  that  we 
hesitate  to  apply  the  electric  light  in  the  halls  of  legislation  in 
its  present  comparatively  imperfect  state." 

Into  the  Rotunda,  Dome,  and  Tholus,  electric  lights  were  in- 
troduced late  in  1879. 

Important  changes  were  made  in  the  south  Extension  of  the 
Capitol  preparatory  to  the  meeting  of  Congress  in  December, 
1879: 

The  former  Speaker's,  Sergeant-at-Arms,  and  Reporters'  rooms, 
at  the  south  of  the  haU  of  Representatives,  were  converted  into 
one  room,  and  by  means  of  large  openings  into  their  north  waU 
have  been  thrown  open  to  the  corridors  between  them  and  the 
hall,  thus  making  a  large,  light,  and  airy  retiring-room  for  mem- 
bers. The  blank  doorways  in  the  south  wall  of  the  gallery  have 
also  been  opened.  To  provide  accommodations  for  the  commit- 
tees and  the  officers  thus  dispossessed,  several  rooms  under  the 
old  hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives  have  been  fitted  up,  and 
the  folding  department,  formerly  occupying  these  rooms,  trans- 
ferred to  the  cellar  below. 

The  Speaker's  room  is  now  the  southwest  comer  room  of  the 
Dapitol. 


55 

Passing  out  of  the  Old  Hall  through  the  soath  door  we  enter 
the  House  Extension  of  the  Capitol. 

The  New  Hall  of  Representatives 
is  in  the  centre  of  that  Extension.  The  chamber  is  139  feet 
long,  93  feet  wide,  and  36  feet  high.  It  has  a  gallery  on  its  four 
sides  capable  of  having  crowded  into  it  1,200  persons.  Portions 
axe  allotted  to  the  diplomatic  corps  and  reporters  of  the  press. 
There  are  also  divisions  for  the  families  of  the  Cabinet  officers, 
Senators,  and  Representatives  ;  the  remainder  is  for  visitors. 

The  ceiling  is  of  iron,  gilded  and  bronzed,  and  is  supported 
by  trusses  from  the  roof.  Its  centre  is  a  skylight,  panelled  with 
glass ;  in  each  panel  is  painted  the  arms  of  a  State. 

Seats  for  the  members,  with  desks  in  front  of  them,  are  ranged 
in  successive  semicircles  facing  the  Speaker's  desk.  In  front  of 
it  sit  the  various  clerks  and  phonographic  reporters. 

A  full  length  likeness  of  Washington,  by  Vanderlyn,  which 
cost  $2,500,  is  on  one  side  of  the  Speaker's  chair,  and  on  the 
other  side  is  a  likeness  of  Gen.  Lafayette,  by  Ary  Scheffer, 
which  was  presented  to  Congress  by  the  artist  about  1824:-'25. 

A  fresco  by  Brumidi,  representing  "Gen.  Washington  refusing 
Lord  Comwallis'  request  for  an  armistice  at  Yorktown,  just  be- 
fore the  final  surrender,"  occupies  a  portion  of  the  wall  west  of 
the  portrait  of  Lafayette. 

Two  paintings  by  Bierstadt,  one  on  each  side  of  the  Speaker's 
desk,  also  ornament  the  wall.  One  is  the  ' '  First  Landing  of 
Henry  Hudson,"  and  the  other  the  "Discovery  of  California." 

The  artist  received  $10,000  for  each. 

Corridors,  paved  with  English  Minton  tiles,  surround  the  Hall, 
and  afford  entrance  to  various  rooms  for  the  officers  of  the  House 
and  the  use  of  committees.  The  rooms  are  accessible  when  the 
Committees  are  not  in  session. 


56 

Staircases  of  Tennessee  marble  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of 
the  Hall  lead  to  the  galleries. 

On  the  wall,  above  the  western  staircase,  is  Leutze's  picture  of 
♦  *  Western  Emigration. "     Cost  f  20, 000. 

At  the  foot  of  this  staircase  is  a  bust,  in  bronze,  of  a  Chippewa 
Indian  chief,  "  The  Buffalo." 

A  large  picture  on  canvas  by  F.  B.  Carpenter,  *'  Lincoln's  War 
Cabinet"  or  the  "Proclamation  of  Emancipatiop,"  occupies  the 
same  position  above  the  eastern  staircase. 

It  was  presented  to  the  United  States  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Thomp- 
son February  12,  1878,  and  cost  $25,000.  On  the  occasion  of  its 
acceptance  the  Hon,  Alex.  H.  Stevens,  Ex-Vice-President  of  the 
so-called  Confederate  States,  was  one  of  the  orators  appointed  by 
Congress  to  receive  the  picture. 

At  the  foot  of  this  staircase  stands  a  statue  of  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son, by  Powers ;  it  cost  $10,000. 

Various  committee-rooms  and  rooms  for  newspaper  and  tele- 
graphic uses  are  situated  in  the  upper  story  of  the  Extension,  to 
which  we  now  ascend. 

There  is  also  from  here  access  to  the  Library  of  the  House, 
which  occupies  the  story  above  the  communicating  corridor  lead- 
ing from  the  Old  Hall. 

Above  the  roof  of  the  Hall  is  the  illuminating  vault  of  the 
House.  Hundreds  of  gas-jets  are  placed  above  the  pictured  sky- 
light. They  communicate  with  the  electric  apparatus  by  which 
the  Rotunda  and  Dome  is  lighted. 

We  will  now  descend  to  the  ground-floor.  This  is  occupied  by 
committee-rooms,  closets,  bath  and  store-rooms,  the  folding- 
room,  House  Restaurant,  etc.,  etc. 


Of  the  Committee-rooms  the  most  beautiful  in  ornamentation  is 
that  of  the  Committee  on  Agriculture.     Artist,  Signor  Brumidi. 

The  central  hall  of  this  floor  is  lined  with  scaglioni  and  adorned 
with  monolith  marble  columns  of  great  beauty. 

Beneath  is  the  heating  and  ventilating  apparatus.  The  engi- 
neer will  explain  how  cool  and  hot  air  is  forced  into  the  building. 

The  Crypt. 
Beneath  the  Rotunda  is  the  Crypt,  so  called  from  its  resem- 
blance to  the  chambers  of  that  name  in  cathedrals.     It  has  nu- 
merous pillars,  supporting  groined  arches,  and  is  dimly  lighted. 

The  Tomb  of  Washington. 

Beneath  the  Crypt  is  a  vaulted  chamber,  built  to  receive  the 
remains  of  Gen.  "Washington  and  his  wife.  Visitors,  upon  appli- 
cation to  the  police  of  the  Capitol,  will  be  shown  what  is  caUed 
the  Tomb. 

Congress,  in  1832,  the  centennial  year  of  Washington's  birth, 
made  appHcation  to  the  then  owner  of  Mount  Vernon  to  obtain 
the  remains  of  the  illustrious  dead,  to  be  placed  here,  but  they 
were  refused;  the  chamber,  consequently,  has  since  remained 
empty. 

The  rooms  once  occupied  by  the  Court  of  Claims  are  vacated. 
The  Court  has  removed  to  the  building  of  the  Department  of 
Justice,  opposite  the  Treasury. 

The  Library  of  Congress 
oc5Cupies  the  western  projection  of  the  original  Capitol,  and  ac- 
cess is  obtained  to  it  from  the  Rotunda  by  the  west  door. 

These  beautiful  halls  were  designed  by  Thos.  U.  Walter. 
They  are  of  iron,  including  shelves ;  the  floors  are  laid  with 
encaustic  tiles ;  consequently  all  is  fire-proof.     The  centre  hall  is 


58 

91  feet  long,  34  feet  wide,  and  38  feet  high.  The  side  halls  are 
95  feet  long  and  29^  feet  wide. 

The  Library  of  Congress  originated  in  1800,  and  from  that 
time  until  1814  the  number  of  volumes  comprised  about  3,000. 
It  was  destroyed  by  the  British  in  that  year,  when  they  set  fire 
to  the  Capitol. 

Mr.  Jefferson's  library,  then  considered  one  of  the  finest  in 
the  country,  was  purchased  by  Congress  for  $28,950  in  1815,  and 
became  the  nucleus  of  a  new  collection,  which,  in  1851,  com- 
prised 55,000  volumes.  Dec.  25  of  that  year,  a  fire,  originating 
from  timbers  carelessly  exposed  to  flues,  consumed  35,000  vol- 
umes, besides  works  of  art,  coins,  etc.,  etc. 

The  number  of  volumes  in  the  Library  in  1874  was  274,157  vol- 
umes and  50,000  pamphlets.  Jan.  1,  1876,  the  volumes  reported 
were  293,507,  and  60,000  pamphlets.  In  1885,  the  aggregate  was 
540,000  volumes,  besides  about  150,000  pamphlets. 

Although  designed  especially  for  the  use  of  Congress  and 
Government  officials,  any  visitor  over  sixteen  years  of  age  can 
obtain  books  to  read,  only  in  the  Library^  by  filling  one  of  the 
blanks  to  be  found  on  the  tables,  and  presenting  it  at  the  Libra- 
rian's desk. 

On  the  ground-floor,  underneath  the  Supreme  Court-room,  is 
the  law  branch  of  the  Library.  The  vestibule  to  this  apartment 
is  famous  for  its  ornamentation  of  corn-stalk  columns,  with  cap- 
itals of  opening  ears  of  corn.  This  room  was  once  occupied  by 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States. 

Supreme  Court-Room  of  the  United  States. 
This  chamber  is  situated  in  what  was  the  north  wing  of  the 
original  Capitol,  and  occupies  the  eastern  side  of  that  portion  of 
the  building.  It  was  the  old  United  States  Senate  Chamber.  It 
is  semi-circular,  75  feet  long,  45  feet  high,  and  its  greatest  width 
45  feet.     It  is  ornamented  with  columns  of  Potomac  marble^  and 


59 

has  a  dome  ceiling.  Around  the  semicircular  wall  are  brackets, 
on  which  are  placed  the  busts  of  deceased  Chief-Justices.  The 
room  is  beautifully  carpeted. 

The  rooms  in  its  vicinity  are  appropriated  to  the  officers  and 
judges  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

In  the  robing-room  hangs  a  portrait  of  Chief-Justice  Marshall, 
by  Rembrandt  Peale,  a  companion-picture  to  his  Washington. 
This  portrait  was  presented  to  Chief -Justice  Chase  by  the  bar  of 
New  York,  and  at  his  death  was  bequeathed  by  him  to  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States. 

In  this  room  is  also  a  portrait  by  Gilbert  Stuart  of  the  first 
Chief-Justice,  John  Jay,  arrayed  in  a  black-satin  robe  with  broad 
scarlet  facings.  This  picture  was  recently  a  gift  to  the  Court  by 
his  grandson,  John  Jay,  late  minister  to  Austria. 

A  portrait  of  Taney  by  Healy  is  also  here,  which  was  pre- 
sented by  the  Washington  Bar  Association. 

This  room  contains  admirable  specimens  of  antique  furniture. 

Leaving  the  Supreme  Court  room,  we  pass  into  the  Senate 
Extension,  in  the  centre  of  which  is  the 

Senate  Chamber. 

In  general  arrangement  and  appearance  this  Chamber  resembles 
the  HaU  of  Representatives,  though  smaller.  It  is  112  feet  long 
and  82  feet  wide.  The  desks  of  the  Senators  are  of  highly  pol- 
ished mahogany.  In  the  skylight  are  painted  symbols  of  Pro- 
gress, the  Union,  the  Army,  the  Navy,  and  the  Mechanical  Arts. 

Immediately  north  of  the  Senate  Chamber  are  three  rooms  of 
great  beauty  ;  the  most  westerly  one  is 

The  President's  Room. 
Dimensions,  23  feet  2  inches  by  21  feet  8  inches,  with  a  cano- 
pied ceiling.     The  whole  room  is  elaborately  decorated  in  fresco 


60 

and  distemper,  Ou  the  walls  are  the  portraits  of  President 
"Washington  and  his  Cabinet.  The  ceiling  is  covered  with  alle- 
gorical illustrations  of  Religion,  Liberty,  Executive  Power,  and 
Legislative  Authority,  with  portraits  of  Columbus,  Americus 
Vespucius,  Wm.  Brewster,  and  Benj.  Franklin.  The  floor  is 
tiled,  but  in  winter  is  covered  with  a  rich  carpet.  In  this  room 
towards  the  close  of  a  session  of  Congress  the  President  affixes 
his  signature  to  bills. 

The  Marble  Room. 

The  walls  of  this  room  are  of  polished  Tennessee  marble  and 

plate-glass.     Four  Corinthian  columns  of  Italian  marble  support 

the  ceiling.     Its  length  is  38  feet  7  inches,  19^  feet  high,  and 

width  21  feet  8  inches.     It  is  used  as   a  retiring-room  by  the 

Senators. 

The  Vice-President's  Room 

is  of  the  same  size  as  the  President's,  but  the  walls  are  unadorned. 
It  is  beautifully  furnished,  and  here  is  hung  Rembrandt  Peale's 
celebrated  likeness  of  "Washington,  which  adorned  the  old  Senate 
Chamber,  and  cost,  in  1832,  $2,000.  "Vice-President "Wilson  died 
in  this  room  October,  1875. 

Ladies'  Reception  Room. 
This  is  elaborate  in  ornamentation,  and  its  purpose  is  to  pro- 
vide a  place  where  ladies  may  obtain  interviews  with  Senators. 
It  is  situated  east  of  the  three  rooms  last  described,  and  next  it 
is  the  room  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the  Senate,  and  also 

The  Senate  Post-Office. 

This  is  admirably  furnished  for  use.  The  ceiling  was  painted 
by  Brumidi  at  a  cost  of  $5,000.  On  it  is  represented  History, 
Geography,  Physics,  and  the  Telegraph. 

"W€^  wiU  now  enter  the  hall  leading  to  the  east  Senate  Ezten- 
eion  Portico,  and  arrive  at 


61 

The  Crawford  Bronze  Door. 

This  door  illustrates  Revolntionary  and  Federal  history,  and 
cost  for  models  $6,000;  for  casting,  $50,495.11.  One  valve  is 
War  and  the  other  Peace, 

At  the  top  of  the  War  valve  is  the  "Battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and 
Death  of  Warren,  1775,"  The  next  panel  is  the  ''Battle  of  Mon- 
mouth and  Rebuke  of  Gen.  Charles  Lee,  the  traitor,  1778." 
Then,  again,  below  is  "  Yorktown — the  gallantry  of  Hamilton, 
1781 ;"  and  at  the  bottom  of  the  door  is  a  Hessian  soldier  in  death 
struggle  with  an  American. 

At  the  foot  of  the  Peace  valve  is  an  allegorical  representation 
of  the  blessings  of  Peace.  Then,  above  it,  is  the  "Ovation  to 
Washington  at  Trenton,  1789."  Next  above  that,  "The  First 
Inauguration  of  President  Washington,  1789;"  and  in  the  top 
panel  is  pictured  "  The  Laying  of  the  Corner-stone  of  the  United 
States  Capitol,  September  3,  1793." 

The  door  was  cast  at  Chicopee,  Mass. ,  by  James  T.  Ames, 

Above  the  door  is  a  group  in  marble  of  History  and  Justice. 

The  Senate  Extension  Portico, 
of  which  this  is  the  door,  has  over  its  centre,  in  detached  figures, 
an  illustration  of  the  ' '  Progress  of  American  CiviHzation  and 
the  Decadence  of  the  Indian  Races." 

The  centre  figure  is  America.  On  her  right  [south]  stands  a 
soldier ;  next  him  is  Commerce — a  merchant ;  then  comes 
Youth — two  boys ;  Education  succeeds — a  schoolmaster,  with  a 
boy  pupil ;  next,  a  Mechanic,  resting  against  a  wheel ;  and  then  are 
an  Anchor  and  a  Wheat  Sheaf,  which  fill  the  rapidly  narrowing 
space  of  the  pediment. 

On  the  left  [north]  of  America  is  a  Pioneer  settler  chopping 
a  tree ;  then  a  Hunter ;  next  him  sits  an  Indian  chief ;  beside 


62 

him  is  an  Indian  woman  with  a  babe ;  and  then,  again,  filling  up 
the  narrow  space  on  this  side,  is  an  Indian  grave.  These  figures 
were  modelled  by  Crawford.  He  was  paid  for  them,  including 
the  cost  of  Justice  and  History,  $20,000.  The  additional  cost 
for  cutting  amounted  to  $29,150. 

We  will  now  return  to  the  interior  of  the  Senate  extension, 
and  traverse  again  the  beautiful  hall,  adorned  with  pillars  and 
lined  with  scagUoni  marble,  communicating  with  the  Portico. 

Opposite  the  Senate  Post  Office  [south]  is  the  room  of  the 
Official  Repokteks  of  the  Senate.  It  is  fitted  up  especially  to 
aid  the  corps  of  gentlemen  engaged  in  this  work,  and  is  also  a 
very  beautiful  apartment. 

At  the  foot  of  the  east  staircase  of  the  Senate  is  a  statue  of 
Franklin,  by  Hiram  Powers;  cost  $10,000. 

On  the  wall  hangs  Powell's  picture  of  the  Battle  of  Lake 
Erie,  September  10,  1813  ;  cost  $25,000. 

Ascending  the  stairs,  we  find  magnificent  corridors,  paved  with 
encaustic  tiles,  surrounding  three  sides  of  the  Senate  galleries. 

In  this  story,  in  a  vestibule  opposite  the  entrance  to  the  ladies' 
gallery,  hang  two  pictures  by  Thomas  Moran,  on  canvas,  of  the 
Canon  of  the  Yellowstone  and  the  Canon  of  the  Colorado. 
Each  cost  $10,000. 

II  Penserosa. 

A  beautiful  female  figure  in  marble,  purchased  by  the  Joint 
Committee  on  the  Library,  by  Mozier,  cost  $2,000,  is  also  placed 
here. 

In  the  wide  corridor  north  of  this  Vestibule  are  two  pictures 
on  canvas,  one  is  an 

Equestrian  likeness  of  Gen.  Scott  by  the  late  Edward  Troye. 
It  was  ordered  for  the  purpose  of  being  placed  in  the  Military 
Institute  of  Virginia  at  Lexington,  and  the  artist  was  to  have 


63 

received  $25,000  for  it,  but  it  was  not  completed  until  the  fab 
of  1861.  After  the  secession  of  Virginia  the  picture  was  left 
unpaid  for  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Troye,  who  long  vainly 
endeavored  to  procure  its  purchase  by  the  Federal  Government. 

There  was  a  special  house  greeted  at  West  Point  for  the  artist 
to  work  in.  General  Scott  seleeted  the  horse,  position,  time, 
uniform,  and  equipments,  and  sat  for  the  artist  almost  daily  for 
several  months.     The  scene  is  laid  at  Chapultepec. 

The  other  is  a  full-length  portrait  of  Henry  Clay,  by  Neagle. 
Cost  $1,500. 

This  picture  was  painted  at  the  instance  of  certain  friends  of 
Mr.  Clay,  and  it  was  supposed  the  legislature  of  his  State  would 
pay  for  it.  This  expectation  was  not  realized,  and  the  artist 
died  without  receiving  any  remuneration.  It  was  purchased  by 
the  Joint  Committee  of  the  Library  from  the  artist's  son.  Mr. 
Clay,  it  is  said,  regarded  this  picture  as  an  excellent  likeness,  and 
was  disappointed  because  it  was  not  purchased  at  once  by  his 
friends. 

Committee-rooms  surround  the  various  corridors. 

The  illuminating  loft  of  the  Senate  Chamber  is  reached  by  a 
stairway  continued  above  the  west  staircase  of  the  Senate  Exten- 
sion. The  "  Wilson  Patent  Electric  Gas-lighter,"  which  consists 
in  the  application  of  the  "spark,"  is  in  use.  The  illuminating 
process  differs  from  that  by  which  the  Kotunda  and  House  is 
lighted. 

Over  the  west  staircase  of  the  Senate,  which  is  of  white  mar- 
ble, hangs  the  picture  of  The  Storming  of  Chapultepec,  by 
James  Walker ;  cost  $6,000.  This  picture  was  originally 
painted  for  a  panel  in  the  Committee-room  of  Military  Affairs  of 
the  House,  and  doubtless  will  eventually  be  placed  there. 

At  the  foot  of  this  staircase  is  a  ctatue  of  John  Hancock,  by 
Dr.  Stone;  cost  $5,500. 


64 

The  rooms  on  the  west  side  of  the  corridor  on  the  main  floor, 
which  we  have  again  reached,  are  appropriated  to  the  clerks  ol 
the  Senate. 

Ground  Floor  of  the  Senate  Extension. 

This,  like  the  same  story  of  the  House  Extension,  contains  8 
Restaurant,  Bath  and  Committee-rooms,  etc.,  etc.  The  walls 
of  the  corridors  on  this  side,  however,  are  profusely  decorated 
with  paintings,  viz. ,  busts  of  distinguished  Americans,  flowers, 
fruits,  and  animals,  besides  frescoes  of  historical  events,  etc.  It 
would  require  weeks  of  inspection  to  enable  the  visitor  to  attain 
anything  like  an  intelligent  appreciation  of  their  variety  and  ex- 
cellence. 

The  Room  of  the  Committee  on  Naval  Affairs  is  especially 
of  surpassing  beauty.  It  is  literally  covered,  ceiling  and  walls, 
with  pictures  and  figures  relating  to  the  marine. 

The  Room  of  the  Committee  on  Mllitaky  Affaies  is  also 
profusely  decorated.  The  pictures  are  illustrative  of  military 
service,  and  several  of  the  famous  battles  of  the  Revolution  are 
painted  on  the  walls.  A  visitor  shoidd  not  neglect,  if  possible, 
to  see  these  two  rooms. 

Beneath  this  story  is  the  heating  and  ventilating  apparatus,  by 
means  of  which  the  Senate  is  heated  and  cooled.  To  many  this 
is  a  most  interesting  portion  of  the  Capitol  to  visit,  and  strangers 
are  invariably  treated  with  politeness  and  their  questions  an- 
swered by  the  employes  in  charge. 

The  Capitol  Police. 

The  Capitol  police  consists  of  a  representative  appointed  from 
each  State.     The  officers  are  a  captain  and  thr-De  viauir-aants. 

The  duties  are  to  preserve  order  within  tha  Capitol  and 
grounds ;  to  protect  the  public  property  from  injury  ;  enforce 


65 

all  prescribed  rules ;  also  to  extend  to  visitors  proper  courtesies, 
and  furnish  them  -vvith  all  desired  information. 

They  are  on  duty  day  and  night,  and  because  of  their  constant 
supervision  ladies  can,  without  fear  of  insult  or  molestation, 
wander  at  will  anywhere  throughout  the  building  and  grounds. 

Guides  appointed  by  the  Police  Board  are  in  constant  attend- 
ance, and  are  not  allowed  to  charge  an  excess  of  50  cents  an 
hour. 

History  of  the  Building  of  the  Capitol. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  Capitol  was  laid  with  Masonic  ceremo- 
nies September  18,  1793,  by  Master  Mason  George  Washington, 
President  of  the  United  States. 

The  plan  approved  of  was  that  of  Doctor  Wm.  Thornton,  born 
in  the  West  Indies,  an  amateur  civil  engineer  and  draftsman. 
The  practical  architect  first  employed  in  its  erection  was  Stephen 
Hallet,  a  Frenchman,  who  modified  Thornton's  plan  and  substi- 
tuted some  features  of  his  own,  which  displeased  Thornton,  who 
possessed  the  ear  of  the  President,  and  eventually  became  a  com- 
missioner. Hallet  was  dismissed.  Hoban,  the  architect  of  the 
President's  House,  was  then  put  in  charge  for  a  short  period. 

An  Englishman,  Mr.  George  Hadfield,  was  afterwards  em- 
ployed, and  he,  in  conjunction  with  Hoban,  succeeded  in  getting 
the  north  wing  ready  for  occupation  in  1800.  The  Senate,  House 
of  Representatives,  Supreme  Court,  and  Library  were  accommo- 
dated in  the  one  wing. 

Mr.  Hadfield,  however,  became  discontented  and  resigned  his 
position.     In  1803,  Mr.  Henry  B.  Latrobe,  an  Englishman  of 
H'lguenot  descent,  was  his  successor,  and  by  him  the  south  wing 
was  completed      In  1814  the  British  burned  out  the  two  wings 
The  space  now  occupied  by  the  Rotunda,  up  to  that  period,  wns 


66 

only  a  wooden  scaffolding,  wMch  united  the  two  portions  of  the 
building. 

Latrobe  was  employed  to  rebuild  the  wings,  and  also  to  design 
and  erect  the  Rotunda  and  Dome.  Becoming  dissatisfied,  he 
resigned  in  1817.  Mr.  Charles  Bulfinch,  of  Boston,  an  American, 
was  his  successor. 

The  foundation  of  the  Rotunda  was  laid  March  2,  1818.  The 
Capitol,  including  the  Rotunda  and  the  first  low-arched  Dome, 
was  considered  finished  in  1827.  Mr.  Bulfinch,  after  accompUsh- 
ing  his  work,  returned  to  Boston. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  Extension  was  laid  in  1851,  July  4. 
Daniel  Webster  made  the  oration.  Mr.  Thomas  U.  Walter,  of 
Pennsylvania,  designed  and  erected  the  Extension  (north  and 
south)  and  the  new  Dome.  The  architect  in  charge  in  1879  i» 
Mr.  Edward  Clark,  formerly  a  pupil  of  Mr.  Walter.  The  cost  of 
the  Capitol  to  present  date  has  been  about  $13,000,000. 

The  Botanical   Garden, 

for  many  years  under  the  efficient  superintendence  of  Mr.  Wm. 
R.  Smith,  is  immediately  west  of  the  Capitol,  lying  between 
Maryland  and  Pennsylvania  avenues.  It  contains  a  conservatory 
300  feet  long.  There  are,  besides,  ten  smaller  conservatories. 
The  first  buildings  were  erected  in  1850.  This  portion  of  Reser- 
vation  No.  2  was  very  early,  in  intention,  set  apart  for  a  Botanical 
Garden.  It  remained,  however,  as  late  as  1849,  almost  a  swamp, 
a  chief  cause  of  ague  around  the  Capitol.  The  tide  still  ebbs  and 
flows  hertt  in  a  large  sewer  covering  Tiber  Creek. 

In  the  large  conservatory  grow,  in  splendid  variety,  majestic 
pilms  and  graceful  ferns.  Succulents,  in  large  assortment,  flour- 
ish  here,  with  many  botanical  curiosities,  viz :  the  banana,  mango, 
caoiphor,  Caffre  bread,  India-rubber,  sugar  cane,  dumb  cane  of 


67 

South  America,  incense  tree,  bamboo,  20  varieties  of  passion 
flowers,  coffee  tree,  cinnamon,  black  and  betel  peppers;  in  all 
about  4,000  species  and  varieties  of  botanical  interest. 

The  Bartholdi  Fountain,  so  much  admired  at  the  Centennial 
Exhibition,  was  purchased  by  Governmeut  for  $6,000,  and  is 
placed  here  north  of  the  large  conservatory. 

RESERVATIONS. 

There  were  originally  set  apart  for  various  purposes  seventeen 
reservations,  designated  in  the  early  maps  by  figures  from  1  to 
17.  Most  of  them  still  remain,  with  slight  modifications,  in  pos- 
session of  the  Government.  Their  whole  original  area  was  541 
acres  1  rood  29  perches.  Their  present  area  is  about  513  acres. 

Res.  I — The  President's  Grounds. — This  includes  the  sur- 
roundings of  the  Executive  Mansion,  extending  from  Lafayette 
Square  on  the  north  to  the  mouth  of  Tiber  crock,  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Washington  Monument.  On  it  are  the  Presiden- 
tial Mansion,  the  Treasury,  the  War,  Navy,  and  State  Depart- 
ments.    83  acres  1  rood  22  perches. 

Res.  2 — The  Capitol  Grounds. — This  is  the  Mall,  with  the 
East  and  West  Capitol  Parks ;  its  western  line  is  14th  st.  west. 
On  it  are  the  Capitol,  the  Botanical  Garden,  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  and  the  Agricultural  Department ;  to  this  list  we  are 
sorry  to  add  the  depot  of  the  Baltimore  and  Potomac  railroad. 
Original  area,  227  acres  8  perches. 

Res.  3— The  Park. — Bounded  by  14th  st.  west  on  one  side 
and  the  Potomac  river  on  the  other.  This  reservation  is  occu- 
pied by  the  Washington  Monument  and  the  Governmeut  nurse- 
ries. 29  acres  3  roods  9  perches.  Here,  also,  is  located  the 
building  occupied  by  the  Bureau  of  Engraving  and  Printing. 
This  bureau  was  previously  accommodated  in  the  attic  story  of 
the  Treasury  Department.     The  new  structure  was  designed  by 


68 

Mr.  J.  G.  Hill,  the  present  (1879)  Supervising  Architect  of  the 
Treasury  Department.  Its  estimated  cost  was  $600,000;  its 
actual  expense  has,  however,  somewhat  exceeded  that  sura. 

Res.  4— The  University  Square. — On  this  reservation  is  sit- 
uated the  United  States  Naval  Observatory.    21  acres  18  perches. 

Res.  5 — The  Arsenal  Grounds. — This  is  at  the  foot  of  4^  st. 
west,  and  is  the  most  southern  portion  of  Washington  City.  In 
1857  this  plat  was  extended  by  purchase.  In  the  Penitentiary 
which  stood  here,  but  which  has  since  been  replaced  by  officers' 
quarters,  the  conspirators  adjudged  guilty  of  Mr,  Lincoln's  mur- 
der were  tried,  and  afterwards  hung  within  its  walls. 

Res.  6 — West  Market-Street  Square. — This  is  at  the  foot 
of  20th  and  21st  sts.  west,  and  is  now  covered  with  water. 

Res.  7~Centre  Market  Square. — Occupied  by  the  principal 
market  in  the  city  ;  7th  to  9th  st.  west,  facing  Penna.  ave. 

Res.  8-  National  Church  Square. — Now  occupied  by  Patent 
Office.  Area,  4  acres  22  perches.  [See  article,  Patent  Office,  in 
this  volume.] 

Res.  9— Judiciary  Square. — The  site  of  the  Court  House  and 
now  Pension  Building, 

Res.  lo. — North  of  Pennsylvania  avenue,  between  3d  and  4^ 
sts.  west.  Congress  unwisely  granted  to  the  corporation  the  privi- 
lege of  selling  this  reservation  in  lots  to  pay  for  the  removal  of 
the  canal  and  to  fill  up  the  low  grounds. 

Res.  II. — Between  B  and  C  sts.  north  and  2d  and  3d  sts,  west. 
Disposed  of  for  the  same  purpose  as  Kes.  10, 

Res,  12, — North  of  Pennsylvania  avenue,  between  2d  and  3d 
sts.  west.  Disposed  of  the  same  as  Nos.  10  and  11.  Area,  11 
acres  29  perches,  of  the  reservations  10,  11,  12. 

Res.  13 — Hospital  Square. — Between  B  and  G  sts.  south,  and 
I'Jth  and  the  Anacostia  east.  Area,  77  acres  26  perches.  On  it 
are  the  Washington  Asylum  and  District  Jail. 


Residence  of  British  Minister. 


70 

Res.  14 — The  Navt-Tard. — Area,  12  acres  3  roods  15  perches. 

Res.  15  and  16 — Eastern  Market-House  Squares. — Near  the 
Navy -yard,  granted  for  market-house  purposes.  Area  of  the  two 
reservations,  2  acres  1  rood  4  perches. 

Res.  17 — Town-House  Square. — This  is  southeast  of  the  Cap- 
itol, 3d  St. ,  and  South  Capitol  st. ,  where  New  Jersey,  North  Caro- 
lina, South  Carolina,  and  Virginia  avenues  intersect,  making  an 
irregular  plat  with  an  area  of  21  acres  1  rood  29  perches.  The 
old  Duddington  Manor-House,  the  residence  of  the  Carroll  fam- 
ily, fronts  upon  it.  The  Carroll  spring,  famous  during  the  war 
times,  is  located  here. 

SQUARES,  Etc. 
There  are  a  number  of  open  squares  in  Washington  City,  be- 
sides those  already  alluded  to  as  reservations ;  most  of  them  are 
formed  by  the  diverging  lines  of  avenues  intersecting  other  ave- 
nues and  streets;  they  are  of  various  sizes. 

Lying  West  of  the  Capitol. 

McPherson  Square  is  formed  by  the  intersection  of  Vermont 
avenue,  15th,  I  and  K  sts.  n.  w.;  area,  1  acre  2  roods.  The 
equestrian  statue  of  Gen.  McPherson  is  erected  here.  The  cost 
of  the  pedestal  on  which  it  stands  was  $15,000.  This  sum  was 
contributed  by  Government.  The  cost  of  the  statue  proper  was 
defrayed  by  the  Society  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee. 

Farragut  Square  is  at  the  intersection  of  Connecticut  avenue, 
17th,  I  and  K  sts.  n.  w.;  area,  the  same  as  McPherson  Square.  In 
this  square  is  to  be  placed,  when  completed,  the  colossal  statue 
of  Admiral  Farragut,  for  which  $20,000  was  voted  by  Congress, 
April  16,  1872.  Miss  Ream  received  the  order  to  make  this 
statue. 

Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island  avenues  intersect  N  st.  and 


71 

16th  St.  half  a  mile  immediately  north  of  the  President's  House, 
forming  an  open  space  of  about  an  acre  iu  extent.  This  square 
is  known  as  Scott  Place,  and  is  noted  for  the  colossal  equestrian 
bronze  statue  of  Gen.  Scott,  which  occupies  its  centre.  The 
statue  was  designed  by  H.  K.  Brown,  of  New  York,  and  cast  by 
Robert  Wood  &  Co.,  of  Philadelphia.  It  weighs  12,000  lbs., 
cost  $20,000 ;  weight  of  granite  pedestal,  over  320  tons.  The 
cost  of  the  pedestal  was  $53,000. 

Fkanklin  Squaee  is  bounded  by  13th  and  14th  sts.  west  and 
by  I  and  K  sts.  north.  Government  purchased  this  plat  in  1829, 
because  of  its  containing  a  fine  spring,  from  which  the  Presi- 
dent's House  and  Executive  offices  were  supplied  with  water  by 
pipes  as  early  as  1832.     The  supply  is  still  from  this  source. 

Eawlixs  Squaee,  on  New  York  avenue,  southwest  of  the 
President's  House,  between  18th  and  19th  sts.  n.  w.  Here  is  a 
bronze  statue  of  Gen.  John  A.  Rawlins,  adjutant-general  and 
chief-of-stafE  to  Gen.  Grant,  who  died  Secretary  of  War.  It  cost 
$10,000.     Designed  by  J.  Bailey ;  cast  by  R.  Wood  &  Co.,  Phila. 

Mount  Veenon  Place,  at  the  intersection  of  K  and  8th  sts.  n.  w. 
with  Mass.  and  N,  Y,  avenues.  A  beautiful  fountain  occupies  the 
centre.     Until  1871  the  Northern  Market  occupied  this  locality. 

Foueteenth-steeet  Ciecle,  at  the  intersection  of  Massachu- 
setts and  Vermont  avenues  and  14th  and  M  sts.  n.  w.,  is  beauti- 
fully laid  out,  and  the  centre  is  now  occupied  by  an  equestrian 
statue  of  Major-General  Geo.  H.  Thomas,  contributed  by  the 
Society  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  Government  appropri- 
ated $25,000  for  the  pedestal  on  which  the  statue  stands.  The 
artist  was  Mr.  J.  Q.  A.  Ward ;  cast  by  Bureau  Brothers  &  Heaton, 
Phila.;  sum  paid  by  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  $40,000. 

Iowa  Ciecle,  formerly  called  the  Thirteenth-street  Circle,  is 
at  the  intersection  of  Vermont  and  Rhode  Island  avenues  and 
P  and  13th  sts.  n.  w. 


73 

The  Washington  CiBOiiE  is  at  the  intersection  of  Pennsylva- 
nia and  New  Hampshire  avenues  and  K  and  23d  sts.  n.  w.,  neai 
Georgetown.  Here  is  the  equestrian  bronze  statue  of  Gen. 
Washington,  by  Clark  Mills ;  cost  $50,000.  Cast  out  of  captured 
guns  donated  by  Congress. 

DupoNT  CiECLE  is  at  the  intersection  of  Connecticut,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  New  Hampshire  avenues,  at  19th  and  P  sts.  n.  w. 

Near  this  is  the  house  of  the  British  Minister. 

Lying  East  of  the  Capitol. 

Stanton  Place  is  at  the  intersection  of  Md.  and  Mass.  avenues 
at  5th  St.  n.  e. ;  area,  3  acres  1  rood.  An  equestrian  statue  of 
Maj.-Gen.  Nathaniel  Greene,  by  Henry  K.  Brown,  stands  within 
this  space.  The  artist  received  $50,000.  The  Continental  Con- 
gi-ess  voted  a  monument  to  Gen.  Greene ;  and  this  statue,  after 
the  lapse  of  almost  a  century,  is  the  virtual  fulfilment  of  that  res- 
olution.    It  was  put  in  position  in  1877. 

Major-General  Greene  was  a  highly  distinguished  revolutionary 
soldier.  After  Boston  was  evacuated  he  was  entrusted  with  the 
defence  of  Long  Island,  and  appointed  major-general.  He  was 
present  at  Trenton,  at  Princeton,  and  at  Brandywine  ;  and  in  the 
battle  of  Germantowu  he  commanded  the  left  wing  which  pene- 
trated into  the  village.  At  Monmouth,  at  Tiverton  Heights,  and  at 
the  battle  of  Springfield,  he  also  rendered  distinguished  services. 
He  was  president  of  the  court  of  inquiry  upon  Major  Andre, 
and  was  appointed  to  succeed  Arnold  at  West  Point,  which  com- 
mand he  held  but  a  few  days.  He  succeeded  General  Gates  in 
the  command  of  the  Southern  army.  Congress  presented  him 
with  a  gold  medal  and  a  British  standard  for  the  battle  of  Eutaw 
Springs,  and  two  of  the  cannon  taken  from  the  enemy,  lijorth 
and  South  CaroUna  and  Georgia  made  him  valuable  grants  of 
property.  He  died  at  Mulberry  Grove,  on  the  Savauah  river, 
Georgia,  June  13,  178G. 


74 

Lincoln  Squabe  is  one  mile  directly  east  of  the  Capitol 
Massachusetts,  North  Carolina,  Tennessee,  and  Kentucky  ave- 
nues here  intersect  between  11th  and  13th  sts.  Originally  it 
was  intended  to  erect  an  Historic  Column  on  this  spot,  which 
was  also  to  serve  as  a  Mile  or  Itinerary  Column,  from  which  all 
geographical  distances  in  the  United  States  were  to  be  measured. 
Instead,  however,  is  placed  here  the  bronze  group  of  Emanci- 
pation, representing  President  Lincoln  breaking  the  fetters  of 
the  slave,  erected  by  the  freedmen.  Cost  $17,000  ;  inaugurated 
April  14,  1876 ;  designed  by  Thomas  Bell ;  cast  at  Munich  by 
Von  MllUer,  Jr. 

THE    AVENUES. 

The  avenues  constitute  a  feature  in  the  plan  of  Washington 
City  calculated  to  confuse  a  stranger  and  to  cause  him  at  first  to 
wonder  much  at  their  existence. 

An  early  authority  says  :*  "  The  positions  for  the  different  c  H- 
fices,  and  for  the  several  squares  and  areas,  as  laid  down  by  the 
'  Geographer  General,'  Andrew  Ellicott,  [the  contemporary  and 
successor  of  Major  L'Enfant,]  were  first  determined  on  the  most 
advantageous  ground,  commanding  the  most  extensive  prospects, 
and  the  better  susceptible  of  such  improvements  as  either  use  or 
ornament  may  require.  Lines  of  direct  communication  liave  been 
demised  to  connect  the  most  distant  objects  with  the  principal  by  a 
direct  communication  with  tJie  main,  and  preserving  through  the 
whole  a  reciprocity  of  sight  and  the  most  favorable  ground  for 
convenience  and  prospect. " 

L'Enfant,  the  originator  of  the  idea,  had,  without  doubt,  the 
approaches  to  the  palace  of  Versailles  in  his  thoughts  when  he 

*  Jonathan  Elliott  in  "  Historical  Sketches  of  the  Ten   Miles  Square,"  pp. 

98,  99- 


75 

conceived  this  feature  in  his  plan  of  the  i^'ederal  City,  as  in  many- 
respects  they  are  almost  a  reproduction  of  the  lines  of  those 
renowned  allies. 

The  avenues  are  named  after  twenty-one  of  the  States.  To- 
the  old  original  Thirteen  are  added  the  names  of  Vermont,  ad- 
mitted 1791;  Kentucky,  1792;  Tennessee,  179G;  Ohio,  1802; 
Louisiana,  1812;  Indiana,  1816;  Maine,  1820,  and  Missouri, 
1821.  Of  course  the  avenues  named  after  the  later  States  were 
not  contemplated  in  the  original  draft,  and  their  introduction 
has  not  been,  in  the  opinion  of  several  recent  writers,  any  im- 
provement. 

To  attempt  to  describe  the  course  of  the  various  avenues  would 
bewilder  rather  than  instruct  the  reader.  A  reference  to  a  map 
of  "Washington  can  alone  enable  the  visitor  to  obtain  any  intelli- 
gent idea  of  the  lines  of  their  various  directions.  It  might  be 
well,  however,  to  contradict  a  general  error,  often  ignorantlj 
asserted,  that  the  avenues  all  radiate  from  the  Capitol  or  the 
President's  House.  Although  many  of  them  diverge  from  these 
prominent  buildings,  quite  a  number  of  avenues  do  not  approach 
either  of  them. 

In  1871  Executive  Avenxte  was  devised.  It  encloses  a  portion 
of  the  grounds  attached  to  the  President's  House,  extending 
from  15^  to  16|-  sts.,  and  forms  a  semicircle  south  of  the  man- 
sion ;  a  broad  single  road  starting  from  this  centre,  due  south,, 
enters  the  Drive  opposite  the  Monument  Grounds. 

The  following  Tables,  poHtely  fiimished  by  a  gentleman  con- 
nected with  the  office  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  District,  will 
give  very  desirable  information  relative  to  the  streets  and  the 
avenues : 


^^§mmL 


Table  Showing  the  Course  and  Width  of  the  Avenues. 

Avenues.  IVidih,  Course. 

Delaware 160  ft.  N.  15O44'        E, 

New  Jersey 160  "  N.  15°  44'        W, 

Maryland,  east  of  Capitol 160   "  N.  62°  25'        E. 

Maryland,  west  of  Capitol i6o   "  N.  70°  22' 09"  E, 

North  Carolina 160   "  N.62°3o'         E. 

South  Carolina 160  "  N.  71°  13' 54"E. 

Georgia 160   "  N.62°3o'        E, 

Virginia,  from  Mall  to  Eastern  I'ranch 160   "  S.  70°  18' 05"  E. 

Virginia,  from  Rock  Creek  to  Potomac 120   "  S^  55°  20'  E. 

Pennsylvania,  from    President's    House  to  U.  S. 

Capitol 160  "  S.  70°  33' 30"  E. 

Pennsylvania,   west    from    President's    House   to 

Rock  Creek 130  "  5.66°  E. 

Pennsylvania,  from  Capitol  to  Eastern  Branch 160   "  S.  62°  27'  E. 

Kentucky 120   "  S.  33°  E. 

Tennessee 120   "  N.  32°  25'         E. 

New  York,  east  of  President's  House 130   "  N.  66°  09'        E 

New  York,  west  of  President's  House 160   "  N.  70°  27'        E, 

Vermont : 130  "  N.  24°  31' 30'' £. 

Connecticut 130  "  N.  24°3i'3o"W, 

Rhode  Island 130  "  N.  66°  E. 

New  Hampshire 120   "  N.  36°  09' 14"  E, 

Massachusetts,  west  of  New  Jersey  avenue 160  "  S.  66°o3'  E. 

Massachusetts,  east  of  New  Jersey  avenue 160   "  S.  62°  26' 08"  E. 

Ohio 160  "  5.70°  18'         E. 

Louisiana 160   "  S.  70°  21' 36"  W, 

Indiana i6o  "      S.  70°  23' 30"  E. 

Missouri 85   "  S.  70°  33' 30"  E. 

Maine 85."  N.  70°  22' 09"  E. 

As  a  general  rule,  until  within  a  few  years  the  Public  Buildings 
were  accessible  daily  to  visitors  from  9  A.  M.  to  3  P.  M.  The 
increase  of  service  demanded  in  the  various  Departments  has 
caused  some  change  in  this  arrangement,  and  the  following  regu- 


78 

lations,  subject  perhaps  to  slight  teniporaiy  changes  dependent 
upon  an  increase  of  work  in  a  particular  Bureau  or  Department, 
are  now  observed.  A  knowledge  of  them  will  enable  a  stranger 
who  is  pressed  for  time  to  plan  his  round  of  visits  with  greater 
satisfaction  to  himself : 

The  Capitol  is  open  during  daytime  every  day  excepting  Sun- 
day, and  at  night  time  when  Congress  has  a  night  session.  The 
CoNGEEssioNAii  LiBEABY  from  9  A.  M.  to  4  P.  M.,  and  the  Botan- 
ical Gardens  every  week  day. 

The  President's  Hodse. — The  East-Eoom  is  open  every  week 
day  from  10  A.  M.  to  3  P.  M. 

We  will  mention  the  other  more  important  places  in  alphabet- 
ical order : 

Agkicultukal  Building  is  open  from  9  A.  M.  to  3  P .  M. ; 
also,  the  Abmy  Medical  Museum.  Arlington  Cemetebt  is  open 
eveiy  day,  Sunday  included. 

CoECOfiAN  Art-Gallery,  17th  st.  and  Pennsylvania  avenue 
n.  w.,  is  open  daily  from  10  A.  M.  to  4  P.  M.  Mondays,  Wednes- 
days, and  Fridays  are  yay  days.  The  three  other  days,  admission 
i&free. 

Insane  Asylum  is  open  on  Wednesdays  from  2  to  6  P.  M. 

Interior  Department,  including  the  Model-Eoom,  Patent 
Office,  is  open  daily  from  9  A.  M.  to  4  P.  M.  The  Department 
OF  Justice  is  also  open  imtil  4  P.  M. 

Navy  Department  is  open  daily  from  9  A.  M.  to  4  P.  M.  The 
Navy  Yard  is  open  daily  from  9  A.  M.  to  sunset. 

Smithsonian  Institution,  open  daily  from  9  A.  M.  to  4  P.  M. 

Soldiers'  Home  is  open  daily  from  9  to  dark.  Carriages  ad- 
mitted to  the  gi-ounds 

State  Department,  open  daily,  except  on  Thursdays,  (appro- 
priated to  foreign  diplomats,)  from  10  A.  M.  to  2  P.  M. 

Treasury  Department  is  open  from  9  A.  M.  to  2  P.  M. 

War  Department  is  open  from  9  A.  M.  to  3  P.  M. 


Executive  Mansion,  South  Front. 


80 

PRESIDENT'S    HOUSE. 

The  Frngidsnt's  House  is  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the 
C-pitolj  la  a  direction  west  by  north.  It  stands  between  loth 
aid  171h  ets.  n.  w.,  ou  a  high  plateau,  where  Pennsylvania  and 
K  w  York  avenues  intersect,  and  fronting  it  is  Lafayette  Square. 
It  is  built  of  a  yellowish  freestone  painted  white,  and  is  popu- 
larly known  as  The  White  House. 

It  is  two  stories  high,  170  feet  long,  and  86  feet  wide,  with  a 
portico  on  the  north,  supported  by  eight  pillars,  under  which 
carriages  can  drive.  The  south  front  has  a  semicircular  colour 
nade  of  six  columns  in  the  centre.  A  conservatory  adjoins  the 
house  on  the  west. 

The  building  is  said  to  have  been  modelled  after  the  palace  of 
the  Duke  of  Leinster,  in  Dubhn.  The  architect  was  James 
Hoban,  an  Irishman,  who  came  to  Washington  from  Charleston, 
South  Carolina. 

First  Floor. 

The  north  door  opens  into  a  vestibule  40  by  50  feet,  divided  by 
a  sash  screen  ;  within  the  screen  are  portraits  of  several  Presidents 
of  the  United  States.  Throughout  the  Mansion  are  portraits  of 
all  the  ex-Presidents,  excepting  Buchanan  and  Johnson. 

The  East-Koom,  occupying  the  eastern  side  of  the  house,  is  80 
by  40  feet,  and  22  feet  high.  The  ceiling  is  divided  into  three 
panels,  beautifully  decorated.  The  chandeliers,  mirrors,  and 
furniture  are  of  the  most  elegant  description.  It  is,  as  a  rule, 
accessible  to  the  pubhc.  Here,  in  1879,  is  temporarily  placed 
the  magnificent  portrait  of  Martha  Washington  by  E.  F.  Andrews. 

Adjoining  the  East-R~om,  west,  is  the  Green-Room,  facing 
the  south,  so  called  from  the  dominant  color  of  its  furniture,  aU 
of  which  is  exceedingly  beautiful ;  30  by  20  feet. 

Then  succeeds  the  Blue-Room.  This  is  of  oval  shape,  with 
windows  looking  southward ;  and,  as  its  name  indicates,  is  fur- 


«1 

aished  in  bliie  and  gold;  40  by  30  feet.  TLis  1-.  the  icom  ir. 
which,  ^t  levees,  the  President  receives  his  guests. 

The  room  next,  still  facing  south,  which  brings  you  gradually 
towards  the  western  side  of  the  house,  is  the  Red-Room.  This 
room  is  used  more  commonly  by  the  presidential  family,  and 
has  somewhat  of  a  home  look  about  it ;  30  by  20  feet. 

Then,  in  the  southwest  portion  of  the  house,  is  tho  State 
DiNiN'G-RooM,  40  by  30  feet.  This  is  fitted  up  in  admirable 
style,  and  is  only  used  on  state  occasions.  The  private  dining- 
room  is  north  of  the  state  dining-room. 

Second  Floor. 
The  east  part  is  occupied  by  the  Executive  offices,  ante-rooms, 
and  the  Pkesident's  Office.  In  this  last  the  Cabinet  meets.  It 
is  spacious,  and  commands  a  beautiful  view  looking  south.  Ad- 
joining it  is  the  library.  The  rooms  occupied  by  the  family  are 
in  the  south  and  western  portions  of  the  house,  and  are  mainly 
used  as  bed-chambers. 

Basement  Floor. 
This  contains  the  kitchens,   servants'  quarters,  store-rooms, 
and  depositories  for  coal,  etc. 

History. 

The  comer-stone  of  the  President's  House  was  laid  October  13, 
1792;  architect,  James  Hoban.  It  was  first  occupied  in  1800, 
by  President  John  Adams,  but  was  then  in  an  unfinished  condi- 
tion. The  building  cost,  up  to  1814,  $333,207.  August  24,  of 
that  year,  the  President's  House  was  burned  by  the  British.  It 
was  authorized  to  be  rebuilt  in  1815.  Mr.  Hoban  was  again 
charged  with  its  erection,  according  to  the  original  plan,  and  its 
re-erection  cost   $301,496.25.     It  was  first  again  occupied  by 

President  Monroe.      ^ 
b 


82 

The  Stables  and  Consbrvatobt  attached  to  the  President'! 
House  cost  $72,079.82. 

Lafayette  Square. 

This  beautiful  square  is  in  front  (north)  of  the  White  House, 

and  includes  seven  acres.  Two  bronze  vases,  the  copy  of  an 
antique,  seven  feet  high,  and  weighing  each  1,300  lbs.,  ornament 
the  grounds. 

The  Equestrian  Statue  of  Gen.  Andrew  Jackson,  designed 
and  cast  by  Clark  Mills,  is  also  here.  The  Jackson  Monument 
Association  subscribed  $12,000,  and  Congress  granted  captured 
guns  for  the  casting  of  this  statue  ;  afterwards  other  appropria- 
tions were  made,  including  a  sum  of  $20,000,  the  whole  nett^ 
ing  about  $50,000.     Its  weight  is  15  tons. 

THE   STATE    DEPARTMENT. 

The  State  Department  since  1875  has  occupied  the  south  sec- 
tion of  the  magnificent  structure  intended  to  accommodate  the 
State,  War,  and  Navy  DejDartments.  The  War  and  Navy  De- 
partments occupy  the  remainder  of  the  building  as  far  as  com- 
pleted. It  is  thought  that  the  whole  will  be  finished  in  two 
years.  The  building  was  designed  by  A.  B.  Mullett,  late  Super- 
vising Architect  of  the  Treasury.  It  is  west  of  the  President's 
House. 

It  is  842  feet  from  east  to  west,  including  projections,  etc., 
and  will  be  567  feet  from  north  to  south.  The  style  is  the 
Italian  renaissance ;  the  material  of  which  it  is  built  is  granite, 
brought  from  Maine  and  Virginia ;  the  roof  is  mansard.  The 
building  was  begun  in  1871. 

The  interior  is  superbly  finished  and  furnished,  and  there  are 
documents,  etc.,  deposited  here  of  great  interest. 

On  the  second  floor  are  the  Eeception-eoom.  the  Diplomaho 


*i  .llBie 


''■III  P'  ,1- 

iii 


II 


■"    M 


85 

Corps  ante-room,  the  room  op  the  Secretary  op  State,  to 
which  is  also  attached  an  ante-room,  and  the  rooms  of  the  As- 
sistant Secretaries  and  Chief  Clerk, 

In  the  ante-room  attached  to  the  Secretary's  room  are  portraits 
of  all  the  Secretaries,  from  Jefferson  to  the  present  incumbent. 

In  the  ante-room  for  the  use  of  the  Diplomatic  Corps  is  a  por- 
trait of  the  Bey  of  Tunis,  presented  by  himself  to  Mr.  Seward. 

The  original  Declaration  of  Independence  is  in  charge  of  this 
Department. 

The  Library,  embracing  the  most  complete  and  valuable  col- 
lection of  works  on  diplomacy  in  America,  is  in  the  third  story, 
over  the  south  entrance.  There  are  extensive  files  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  American  newspapers  from  1781. 

THE  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

is  on  the  east  side  of  the  President's  House. 

It  has  four  fronts,  each  facing  a  point  of  the  compass.  These, 
including  porticos  and  steps,  measure  582  feet  by  300  feet. 
The  front  first  built  was  the  east  front ;  it  is  of  Virginia  free- 
stone, and  presents  an  extended  colonnade.  Mr.  Robert  Mills 
was  the  architect  of  this  portion  of  the  building.  The  rest  is  of 
granite  from  Dix  Island,  Maine. 

The  west,  north,  and  south  fronts  correspond  with  each  other, 
having  each  a  central  projecting  portico.  The  architects,  Walter, 
Young,  Eogers,  and  Mullet,  were  all  engaged  on  this  splendid 
edifice.     The  cost,  as  stated  in  a  recent  report,  is  $6,837,722.28. 

The  Treasury  contains  195  rooms,  to  which  is  to  be  added 
those  in  the  sub-basement,  used  for  store-rooms,  shops,  and 
those  attached  to  the  heating  apparatus. 

The  Cash-Room  is  the  most  beautiful  of  any  in  the  Treasury, 
and  well  worth  a  visit.  The  display  of  foreign  marbles  in  this 
room  is  very  fine,  but  to  an  American  it  would  be  more  satisfac- 
tory had  they  been  of  native  origin. 


8G 

The  Vaults  are  of  steel  and  chilled  iron  :  they  are  situated  in 
the  northeast  part  of  the  Treasury.  They  are  about  15  by  20 
feet  in  size.     Two  of  them  are  in  the  basement. 

Photograph  Office.  This  is  a  small  cottage-like  looking  build- 
ing opposite  the  south  front  of  the  Treasury.  Here  are  photo- 
graphed fac  similes  of  accounts,  plans  and  elevations  of  public 
buildings,  etc.,  etc. 

Coast  Survey. 

This  building  is  private  property,  although  built  for  the  spe- 
cial service  of  this  ofl&ce.  It  is  south  of  the  Capitol,  on  New 
Jersey  avenue,  between  B  and  C  sts.,  and  is  an  imposing  brick 
structure. 

The  object  of  this  office  is  "the  survey  of  the  coasts  of  the 
United  States  on  tide-water."  It  originated  in  1807,  but  its 
actual  organization  was  completed  in  1833. 

The  standards  of  weights  and  measures  are  kept  here,  under 
the  care  of  the  Superintendent.  The  Coast  Survey  is  attached 
to  the  Treasury  Department.  Its  duties,  however,  are  mainly 
discharged  *'by  officers  of  the  army  and  navy,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  scientific  civihans." 

History. 
In  1814  the  U.  S.  Treasury  shared  the  general  fate  of  the  pub- 
lic buildings,  and  was  burned  on  the  invasion  of  the  city.  The 
structure  again  erected  for  its  use  occupied  the  site  of  the  south- 
em  portion  of  the  present  edifice ;  it  was,  however,  consumed 
by  fire  March  31,  1833.  It  is  said  President  Jackson  indicated 
with  his  cane  the  site  of  the  existing  structure.  In  1836  it  was 
commenced,  and  made  ready  to  be  occupied  in  1841.  In  1855 
the  Extension  was  begun.  The  north  front  was  the  last  one 
completed.  At  some  future  time  the  east  fa9ade  will  probably  be 
replaced  by  another  conforming  with  the  rest  of  the  edifice. 


87 
THE  WAR  DEPARTMENT. 

When  the  four  sides  of  the  grand  structure  now  occupied 
in  par:  by  this  Department  are  completed  the  great  amount  of 
additional  room  will  furnish  accommodation  for  its  different 
brancaes  now  necessarily  located  in  other  quarters.  The  fol- 
lowing now  occupy  the  north  wing  of  the  Building : 

Tie  General  of  the  Army,  his  aids,  and  clerks  at  Army  Head- 
quarters ;  the  Adjutant-General,  Assistant  Adjutants-General, 
Chief  and  other  clerks ;  Mail,  Contingencies,  and  Stationery 
Division;  Secretary  of  War,  Private  Secretary,  and  Chief  Clerk  ; 
Correspondence  Division;  Inspectors-General;  Kequisitions  and 
Accounts ;  Disbursing  Clerk ;  Keception  Room,  Secretary  of 
War ;  Record  Division ;  Claims  Division ;  Library ;  Law  Li- 
brary ;  Advertising  Accounts ;  Military  Academy  Office  ;  Chief 
Clerk ;  Volunteer  Rolls ;  Special  Orders ;  Letters  Received ; 
Regular  Rolls. 

The  Signal  Office  is  still  on  the  north  side  of  G  street,  west 
of  the  War  Department.     Entrance,  No.  1719. 

The  Flag-koom  is  at  No.  616  17th  st.,  opposite  the  Depart- 
ment. 

The  QuABTEBMASTEE-GENEBAii's  OFFICE  is  at  the  comer  of 
15th  St.  and  Pennsylvania  avenue,  diagonally  opposite  the  front 
of  the  Treasury.  That  of  the  Suegeon-Generai.  of  the  Abmt 
is  on  Pennsylvania  avenue,  opposite  the  north  front  of  the  Treas- 
ury. 

The  Army  Medical  Museum 

is  on  10th  St.  n.  w.,  midway  between  E  and  F  sts.  n.  w.     To  the 
medical  student  it  is  interesting  beyond  expression.     The  build- 


90 

ing  was  once  Ford's  Theatre,  in  which  President  Lincohi  wa^ 
assassinated.     Its  purchase  cost  $88,000. 

Winder's  Building, 
comer  of  17th  and  F  sts.  n.  w.,  was  originally  built  for  a  hotel, 
but  was  purckased  and  fitted  up  for  the  use  of  Government  at  an 
expense  of  1^21:6,054.78.     It  is  variously  occupied. 

The  CaiET-ENGiNEEB  OF  THE  Aemt  occupies  the  first  floor. 
The  Battle-Eecoed  Eoom  is  No.  2,  and  No.  13  is  a  FiiiE-RooM 
for  papers  of  the  Adjutant-Genekal's  Office. 

The  Judge-Advocate  General  of  the  Aemt  occupies  the 
front  portion  of  the  second  story. 

The  Obdnance  Office  also  is  on  the  second  floor,  connected 
with  which  is  an  exceedingly  interesting  Museum. 

The  rooms  above  are  used  by  the  Second  Auditob  of  the 
Tbeasuby. 

The  Arsenal 

is  at  the  foot  of  4^  st.  s.  w.,  and  is  accessible  by  horse  rail-cars. 
The  grounds  are  beautifully  laid  out,  and  many  objects  of  inter- 
est are  here  open  for  inspection.  As  early  as  1803  it  was  a  mili- 
tary station,  and  in  1814  it  was  one  of  the  places  destroyed  by 
the  British.  In  1815,  under  Col.  George  Bomford,  it  was  re- 
built. The  Chief  of  Ordnance  resides  here.  (See  Reservation 
No.  5.) 

SOLDIERS'  HOME. 

This  institution  is,  in  object,  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  the 
Hotel  des  Invalides  at  Paris.  To  Gen.  Winfield  Scott  is  the  mih- 
tary  service  indebted,  iu  great  part,  for  the  suggestion  and  en- 
dowment of  the  Soldiers'  Home. 

March  8,  1851,  not  long  after  the  termination  of  the  Mex- 
ican war.  Congress  donated  $118,719,  the  imused  balance  in  the 
Treasury  of  the  sum  levied  by  Gen.  Scott  on  the  City  of  Mexico, 


91 

to  aid  in  the  establishment  of  the  Home.  To  thia  sum  is  acMed 
forfeitures,  stoppages,  and  tines,  and  a  tax  of  12  cents  a  month 
(formerly  25  cents)  on  each  private  soldier. 

The  main  building  is  of  marble,  200  ft.  front.  There  are  also 
several  beautiful  marble  cottages,  the  residences  of  the  officers, 
and  the  former  Riggs  homestead,  clustered  near  it. 

In  summer-time  Presidents  Pierce,.  Buchanan,  Lincoln,  Hayes, 
and  Arthur  resided  here.  President  Cleveland  also  spends  a 
portion  of  the  warm  weather  at  this  beautiful  retreat. 

Anew  hospital  has  been  erected  within  the  grounds. 

There  is  here,  on  the  brow  of  the  hill,  a  bronze  statue  of  Oen. 
Scott,  10  ft.  high,  facing  the  city,  by  Launt  Thompson,  erected 
by  the  Home  in  1874  ;  cost  $18,000. 

The  grounds  embrace  500  acres,  and  are  most  beautifully  laid 
out.     The  drive  within  the  enclosure  extends  7  miles. 

Disabled  private  soldiers  of  the  regular  army  are  entitled  to  the 
benefits  of  the  Home;  during  their  stay  their  pensions  are 
stopped. 

The  Home  is  three  miles  north  of  the  Capitol.  The  tower  of 
the  main  building  affords  the  most  beautiful  of  views,  the  Capi- 
tol being  a  main  feature  in  the  landscape.  On  a  clear  day  the 
top  of  Sugar-Loaf  mountain  can  be  discerned  in  the  far  distance. 

Horse-cars  connect  with,  and  convey  passengers  from,  the 
terminus  of  the  Seventh-street  route  to  within  a  short  distance 
of  the  Home. 

National  Military  Cenietery. 

This  burial-place  adjoins  the  Soldiers'  Home ;  established  in 
1861.  It  is  a  sad  memorial  of  the  war;  5,153  Union  and  271 
Confederate  dead  are  interred  here.  The  names  of  279  of  them 
are  unknown. 


The  Washington  Monument. 


93 

NAVY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Hydrographic  Off. ,  Library,  Bur. 
Equipm't  and  RecruitiDg,  Bur.  Med.  and  Surgery,  Bur.  Const'n 
and  Repair,  Ch'f  Cl'k  Dept.,  Judge  Adv.  Genl.,  Naval  Academy, 
Disb'g  Cl'k  and  Supt.,  Records,  Ch'f  of  Bur.  of  Navigation  and 
Off.  of  Detail.  Bur.  Steam  Engineering,  Bur.  Yards  and  Docks, 
Bur.  Provisions  and  Cloth'g,  Bur.  of  Ordnance,  File  and  Record 
Rooms,  and  Log-Books  are  all  located  in  the  south  half  of  the 
east  section  of  the  State,  War,  and  Navy  Department  structure. 


The  Admiral's  Office  is  at  his  residence,  1710  H  street  n.  w. 

The  Nautical  Almanac  Office,  also  a  branch  of  the  Bureau 
of  Navigation,  is  No.  96-102  Corcoran  Building. 
\  The  service  of  the  Naval  Department  is  divided  into  eight 
Bureaus,  viz :  Ordnance,  Equipment  and  Recruiting,  Yards  and 
Docks,  Navigation,  Medicine  and  Surgery,  Provisions  and  Cloth- 
ing, Steam  Engineering,  and  Construction  and  Repair. 

National  Observatory. 

On  a  hill  96  feet  high,  southwest  from  the  President's  House, 
on  the  Potomac  river,  is  situated  the  National  Observatory,  near 
the  s.  w.  terminus  of  New  York  avenue. 

This  hill,  long  ago,  was  known  as  Peter's  Hill,  having  belonged 
to  Mr.  Robert  Peter,  one  of  the  original  proprietors.  It  was 
also  called  Gamp  Hill,  because  the  forces  of  Gen.  Braddock  en- 
camped here  previous  to  starting  on  the  ill-fated  expedition  of 
1755;  and  in  1814  the  troops  mustered  to  defend  Washington 
were  stationed  here.  It  was  embraced  within  the  proiDosed  town 
of  Hamburg  or  Funkstown,  laid  out  and  lots  therein  sold  years 
before  tbp  Federal  city  was  devised,  and  the  titles  to  which  be- 
came sonrcfK  of  annoyance  to  the  early  commissioners. 


94 

Gen.  Washington  was  desirous  of  having  a  national  uniyeTBity 
established  here.     [See  Reservation  No.  4.] 

The  Observatory  is  under  the  direction  of  the  Navy  Depart- 
n:  ;nt,  and  belongs  to  the  Bureau  of  Navigation.  It  was  estab- 
h-lied  in  184:2.  The  central  building  was  completed  in  1844. 
Ii  s  present  rank  is  among  the  foremost  in  the  world.  There  is 
h<  re,  mounted  in  1873,  the  most  powerful  telescope  ever  made, 
the  *'  Great  Equatorial ;"  cost  $47,000.  It  weighs,  including  its 
base,  six  tons.  The  cost  of  the  iron  dome  erected  to  cover  it 
was  $14,000. 

The  Naval  Hospital 

is  between  9th  and  10th  sts. ,  on  Pennsylvania  avenue  east ;  it  is 
attached  to  the  Bureau  of  Medicine  and  Surgery  of  the  Navy  De- 
partment, and  is  for  the  benefit  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the 
Navy  and  the  Marine  Corps.     Cost  $116,935.33. 

Navy- Yard. 

At  the  southern  terminus  of  8th  st.  east  is  the  entrance  to  the 
Washington  Navy- Yard.  It  lies  along  the  banks  of  the  Ana- 
costia. 

Dec.  30,  1799,  Hon.  Benj.  Stoddard,  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
ordered  the  grounds  to  be  laid  out.  The  yard  was  formally  es- 
tablished by  act  of  March,  1804.  The  grounds  occupy  about  27 
acres. 

It  contains  a  large  number  of  trophies  connected  with  our 
naval  encounters,  and  is  well  worth  a  visit. 

The  Museum,  open  from  9  A.  M.  to  4  P.  M.,  is  full  of  objects 
of  interest.  There  is  here  a  Spanish  gun  which  Cortez  used  in 
his  conquest  of  Mexico,  obtained  during  our  Mexican  war,  and  a 
small  mortar  captured  from  Lord  Cornwallis,  etc.,  etc. 

The  Wasp,  the  Argus,  the  Viper,  the  Shark  and  Gh'ampuSy 
the  sloop  St.  Louis,  24  guns,  and  frigates  Columb'»a,  Essex,  Po- 


95 

tomac,  and  Brandywine,  of  44  guns  each,  and  the  Columbus,  of 
74  guns,  were  built  here.  Recently  the  yard  has  been  more 
prominent  for  its  manufacture  of  naval  supplies  than  for  naval 
construction.     Its  workshops  are  extensive. 

The  Marine  Barracks 
are  of  brick,  and  occupy  the  whole  of  square  927,  a  short  distance 
north  of  the  entrance  to  the  Navy-Yard,  on  8th  st.,  between  G  and 
I  sts.  s.e. 

The  barracks  were  burnt  in  1814  by  the  British,  but  were  im- 
mediately rebuilt.  The  architect  was  ^Ir.  Latrobe.  Cost  $335,- 
636.81. 

The  Marine  Corps,  created  in  1798,  is  an  adjunct  to  the  Navy. 
The  headquarters  are  in  Washington.  The  force  consists  of  a 
Commandant  holding  the  rank  of  brigadier-general,  1  colonel,  2 
lieutenant- colonels,  4  majors,  20  captains,  with  a  larger  number 
of  lieutenants,  and  about  2,500  men. 

POST-OFFICE  DEPARTMENT. 

This  building  occupies  the  whole  square  between  7th  and  8th 
and  E  and  F  sts.  n.  w.,  and  is  opposite  the  Patent  Office.  It 
is  of  white  marble,  from  New  York  and  Maryland  quarries, 
and  is  of  a  modified  Corinthian  order  of  architecture.  It 
is  said  to  be  the  best  representation  of  the  Italian  palatial  in 
America,  and  recalls  remembrance  of  a  Florentine  palace.  It 
measures  300  feet  north  and  south,  and  204  feet  east  and  west. 
It  cost,  up-to  1876,  $1,855,889.59. 

In  the  centre  of  the  front  facing  8th  st.,  over  the  carriage  gate- 
way, is  an  interesting  specimen  of  carving,  representing  "the 
raibroad  and  the  telegraph. " 

The  PosTMASTEB-GENEBAii's  Offioe  Is  in  the  story  above  the 
basement,  on  the  south  side 


Post-Office  Department. 


Insane  Asylum. 


97 

Tke  I>ead-Letteb  Office  is  on  the  north  side.     To  enter  this 
requires  a  pass,  which  is  easily  obtained  from  the  Chief  Clerk. 
The  City  Post-Offtce  is  on  Louisiana  avenue,  east  of  7th  st. 

History. 

The  site  of  the  south  side  of  the  Post-Office  Department  was, 
early  in  the  history  of  Washington  city,  occupied  by  a  brick 
building,  projected  by  Samuel  Blodgett,  an  unsuccessful  specu- 
lator, for  a  hotel.  It  was  to  be  120  ft.  long,  50  ft.  wide,  and 
three  stories  high.  James  Hoban  was  architect.  The  comer- 
stone  was  laid  in  1793,  and  the  plan  approved  by  the  commis 
sioners. 

It  '•  was  put  up,"  as  Watterson  states,  ''out  of  the  proceeds  of 
a  lottery  authorized  to  be  drawn,  but  not  completed.  The  own- 
ers of  the  prize-ticket  were  orphan  children,  who,  not  having 
the  means  of  completing  the  building,  suffered  it  to  remain  in 
an  unfinished  and  dilapidated  state."  It  was  here  the  first  theatr- 
rical  entertainments  were  given  in  the  national  Capital. 

In  1810  it  was  bought  by  Government,  and  plainly  finished. 

Congress,  in  ISl-t-'lo,  after  the  biirning  of  the  Capitol,  held 
one  session  here  ;  and  in  the  second  story  the  Patent  Office  was 
for  years  accommodated.  The  lower  story  was  occupied  by  the 
General  and  City  Post-Offices  imtil  Dec.  15,  1836,  when  the  build- 
ing was  destroyed  by  fire.  Private  buildings  were  then  rented 
for  the  immediate  need. 

In  1839  the  south  portion  of  the  present  building  was  com- 
menced by  Kobert  Mills.  Government  bought  the  north  half  of 
the  square  to  F  st.  in  1842.  In  1855  the  new  Extension  was  be- 
gun. The  designs  were  made  by  Thomas  U-  Walter,  architect 
of  the  Capitol,  and  executed  by  Capt.,  now  G«n.  M.  C.  Meigs, 
nd  Edward  Clark,  architect. 


y.s 


DEPARTMENT  OF   THE   INTERIOR. 
Patent  Office. 

The  Patent  Office  building,  in  which  much  of  the  work  con- 
nected  with  the  Department  of  the  Interior  is  performed,  covers 
two  squares — from  7th  to  9th  sts.  and  from  F  to  G  sts  n.  w.  It 
measures  410  feet  from  east  to  west,  and  275  feet  from  north  to 
south.  It  is  Doric  in  architecture,  and  in  the  original  piau  of 
the  city  the  ground  on  which  it  stands  was  reserved  for  the 
building  of  a  grand  National  Church. 

The  present  structure  was  commenced  in  1837.  The  south 
front — built  of  freestone,  painted  white — was  the  earhest  built .; 
designed  by  Wm.  F.  Elliot,  and  executed  by  Robert  Mills.  The 
east  wing  was  authorized  in  1849,  was  commenced  by  Mr.  Mills, 
who  was  succeeded,  in  1851,  by  Edward  Clark,  then  assistant  to 
the  architect  of  the  CajDitol,  by  whom  the  building  was  com- 
pleted in  1864.  The  new  portions  are  of  Maryland  marble  on 
the  street  extensions  and  granite  on  the  interior  quadrangle. 
The  building  contains  about  191  rooms,  and  cost  $2,700,000. 

Four  halls  on  the  second  floor  compass  the  whole  building. 


In  December,  1836,  a  fire  consumed  the  building  then  occupied 
by  the  Patent  Office,  situated  where  the  General  Post  Office  now 
stands.  The  models  accumulated  during  46  years  were  all  de- 
stroyed. The  patents  to  that  date  numbered  10,301 .  From  July 
4,  1836,  to  July  4,  1876,  there  were  issued  179,638  patents. 

Another  fire  occurred  here  September  24,  1877,  in  which  many 
thousands  of  models  were  destroyed.  The  greater  portion  of  the 
upper  story  of  the  whole  building  was  mainly  burned  out. 

In  this  building  is  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior, 
who  has  charge  of  affairs  "  connected  with  patents,  pubUc  lands, 


Pension  Bureau. 


101 

pensions,  Indians,  census,  education,  and  beneficiary  asylums  in 
the  District ;  and  he  has  also  supervisory  control  over  the  archi- 
tect of  the  Capitol."  The  immense  structure  is  not  large  enough 
to  accommodate  all  the  offices  connected  M^ith  the  Department, 
and  several  rented  buildiugs  have  been  brought  into  its  service. 

The  Bureau  of  Education  is  located  at  the  corner  of  G  and 
8th  sts.  u.  w.,  opposite  the  north  front  of  the  Patent  Office. 
The  Department  of  Education  veas  created  March  2,  18G7.  Its 
design  is  to  collect  statistics  and  facts  showing  the  condition  and 
progress  of  education  in  the  States  and  Territories.  In  1808  it 
was  reduced  to  a  bureau^  called  the  "  Office  of  Education.'' 

Survey  of  the  Territories. — Office  on  7tli  st.,  between  E  and 
F  sts.  n.  w.  Here  information  can  be  obtained  relative  to  the 
surveys  in  the  far  West,  and  photographs  seen  illustrative  of  the 
work  of  the  various  scientific  exploring  expeditions  of  the  U.  S. 

The  Pension  Bureau  is  at  the  n.  e.  corner  of  Pennsylvania 
avenue  and  12th  street  n.  w. 


Government  Hospital  for  the  Insane. 

On  the  high  ground  on  the  south  side  of  the  Anacostia  is  this 
institution.  In  the  distance  it  looks  like  a  large  feudal  castle. 
There  is  attached  to  it  an  estate  of  419  acres,  a  portion  of  which 
is  ciiltivated  by  the  patients.  Miss  Dix,  the  well-known  philan- 
thropist, took  an  active  part  in  urging  the  establishment  of  this 
great  Government  benevolence.  Nearly  one  thousand  persons, 
attendants  and  patients,  are  accommodated  within  its  walls.  It 
is  also  known  as  the  St.  Elizabeth  Hospital.  The  Institution 
was  opened  in  1855.  It  is  750  feet  long.  Cost  of  building,  etc., 
$988,846.35;  support,  etc.,  of  insane  paupers,  as  reported  to 
187.5,  $1,, 532,846.35. 


102 

An  iron  bridge  across  the  Anacostia,  neai  the  Navy  Yard, 
affords  access  to   the  Insane   Hospital.     Its   reported   cost  is 

$99,487.00. 

Columbia  Institution  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb 

is  situated  on  ' '  Kendall  Green, "  lying  in  a  northeasterly  direc- 
tion from  the  Capitol ;  entrance,  north  end  of  7th  st.  east, 
also  the  east  terminus  of  M  st.  north,  Amos  Kendall,  Postmas- 
ter-General in  Gen.  Jackson's  Cabinet,  donated,  late  in  life,  some 
acres  and  a  small  building,  first  occuj^ied  by  the  institution,  which 
was  incorporated  in  1857,  and  since  mainly  supported  by  Con- 
gress. In  18G4  a  collegiate  department  was  created.  It  has 
since  rapidly  increased  in  efficiency.  In  1870,  the  Board  pur- 
chased an  additional  82  acres  of  Kendall  Green  property,  for 
$85,000,  payable  in  four  years.  The  property  is  valued  at 
$350,000. 

Columbia  Hospital  for  Women,  and  Lying-in  Asylum, 
cor.  L  and  25th  n.  w.  Appropriations  by  Government  to  1876, 
$173,495.46.     A  dispensary  is  open  here  every  day. 

DEPARTMENT    OF  JUSTICE. 

Opposite  the  United  States  Treasury  is  a  splendid  building, 
originally  erected  for  the  Freedman's  Bank.  Its  upper  stories 
are  occupied  by  this  department ;  entrance  at  west  door.  The 
Court  of  Claims  is  accommodated  in  this  building. 

The  principal  object  of  interest  here  is  the  gallery  of  portraits 
of  the  Attorneys-General  of  the  United  States. 

This  Department  was  created  June,  1870.  The  head  is  the 
United  States  Attorney-General;  all  Government  prosecutions 
are  conducted  by  it.  Subordinate  to  it  are  the  officers  of  the 
District  and  Circuit  Courts  of  the  United  States ;  the  Reform 
School ;  Metropolitan  Police  and  jail  of  the  District  of  Columbia, 
and  the  various  law  officers  of  the  national  Departments 


Department  of  Justice^  iFreedman's  Bank  Building 


Agricultural  Department. 


105 
The  Court-house,  (formerly  the  City  Hall,) 

is  situated  opposite  the  northern  terininua  of  4^  st. ,  on  Judiciary 
Square,  which  comprises  about  20  acres.  The  courts  of  the 
District  are  held,  excepting  that  of  the  Police  Court,  in  the  Court- 
House. 

The  structure  is  of  freestone,  painted  white.  It  was  designed 
by  George  Hadfield,  an  Englishman,  one  of  the  architects  of  the 
Capitol.  Only  about  one-half  of  the  building,  as  designed  by 
him,  has  been  erected.  It  was  commenced  in  1820  ;  whole  front- 
age, 250  feet. 

In  front  of  the  building,  on  a  marble  column,  is  a  statue  of 
President  Lincoln,  by  Lot  Flannery,  of  Washington  city, 
erected  by  contributions  of  citizens.     (See  Reservation  No.  9. ) 

The  Police  Court  is  at  the  n.  e.  corner  of  6th  and  D  sts.  n.  w., 

in  the  building  once  used  for  worship  by  the  Unitarian  Society. 

Police  Headquarters  is  at  the  n.  w.  cor.  of  5th  st.  and  La.  ave. 

The  Reform  School 
is  situated  on  Lincoln's  Hill,  (a  fort  of  that  name  occupied  the 
site  during  the  war  of  the  rebellion,)  on  the  Washington  and  Balto. 
turnpike.     It  is  for  boys,  and  attached  is  a  farm  of  150  acres. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE. 

Between  the  Smithsonian  Institution  and  the  Washington 
-Monuioent  grounds  is  situated  the  Agricultural  Department, 
between  12th  and  l-ith  sts.  s.  w.  It  is  of  brick,  with  brown- 
«tone  trimmings;  170  feet  long,  61  feet  deep;  designed  by 
Adolph  Cluss,  and  has  a  Mansard  roof;  finished  in  1868.  It 
bears  a  resemblance  to  what  the  Palace  of  Versailles  was  when 
only  a  hunting  chateau,  before  Louis  XIV  expended  upon  it  the 
revenues  of  a  kingdom. 


Smithsonian. 


1U8 

There  are  extensive  structures  built  for  experimental  garden 
ing,  known  q.h  Plant- Houses,  designed  by  Mr.  Saunders,  "Super- 
intendent of  Gardens,"  etc.  The  main  building  is  320  feet  long 
and  30  feet  wide,  with  a  projecting  centre  wing  150  feet  long. 

Besides  the  gardens,  etc. ,  there  is  here  an  Agricultural  Museum 
of  great  interest.  The  buildings  and  grounds  cost,  to  1875, 
$541,243.25. 

The  Department  was  established  May  15,  1862.  Before  occu- 
pying the  present  building,  it  had  rooms  in  the  basement  of  the 
Patent  Office,  and  was,  as  a  Bureau,  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior.         

THE  GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

is  at  the  corner  of  North  Capitol  and  H  sts. ;  length,  300  feet  on 
H  st.  and  175  feet  on  North  Capitol  st.;  it  is  4  stories  high,  and 
cost  (the  building)  $84,915.74.  It  is  said  to  be  at  present  the 
largest  printing  establishment  in  the  world. 

In  1852,  a  change  was  made  in  the  then  contract  system  of 
public  printing  and  binding,  and  the  office  created  of  Superin- 
tendent of  Public  Printing. 

In  1860,  Congress  bought  of  Cornelius  Wendell  for  $135,000 
his  printing  office,  which  became  the  nucleus  of  the  present 
mammoth  establishment.  In  1807,  the  office  of  "Superinten- 
dent," etc.,  was  abolished,  and  the  Senate  authorized  to  elect  a 
practical  printer.  This  has,  however,  been  again  changed,  and  the 
"Superintendent,"  etc.,  is  appointed  by  the  President. 

Washington  Asylum,  etc. 
This  institution  is  an  asylum  for  the  poor,  and  a  workhouse 
for  those  convicted  of  minor  crimes,  except  theft,  in  the  police 
courts.  It  is  on  Hospital  Square,  or  Reservation  13,  being  the 
extreme  eastern  portion  of  the  city.  The  first  building  was  put 
up  in  1815  ;   there  are  now  accommodations  for  400  persons. 


109 

North  of  it  is  the  new  District  Jail,  four  stories  high,  310  by 
193  feet,  designed  by  A.  B.  Mullett.  Cost,  $343,556.77.  Begun 
in  1872 ;  made  ready  for  occupation  in  1875. 

The  Army  and  Navy  Magazines  were  formerly  in  near  neigh- 
borhood, but  have  been  removed  to  their  new  location  south  of 
Giesborough's  point  on  the  Potomac.     South  of  the  jail  is  the 
Congressional  Cemetery. 

This  Cemetery  is  attached  to  Christ  Church,  Episcopal,  (Wash- 
ington parish,)  Navy- Yard.     (See  Churches.) 

The  Cemetery  now  embraces  30  acres.  It  was  laid  out  in  1807, 
with  about  10  acres.  It  is  called  Congressional  because  there 
are  sites  allotted  here  for  the  interment  of  members  of  Congress 
who  die  in  office,  and  even  if  not  buried  here,  a  monument  is 
erected  to  the  memory  of  such.  There  are  rows  of  tombs,  many 
of  which  are  empty.  It  is  not  only  beautiful  as  a  cemetery,  but 
is  interesting  on  account  of  the  many  distinguished  dead  who 
lie  here.  Congress  has  made  donations  to  this  Cemetery  of 
$28,670.69. 

Smithsonian  Institution. 

The  Smithsonian  Institution  is  built  of  red-freestone,  and  has 
numerous  towers,  reminding  one  of  the  palace  of  the  old  Scotch 
kings,  Holyrood.  The  extreme  length  of  the  building,  from 
east  to  west,  is  447  feet ;  the  breadth  of  the  centre,  including 
carriage-porch,  is  160  feet.  It  was  designed  by  James  Renwick, 
Jr.,  of  New  York.  The  style  is  Norman,  in  use  about  the  end 
of  the  12th  century ;  comer-stone  laid  1847;  completed  1856; 
cost  $450,000. 

The  grounds,  extending  from  7th  to  12th  streets,  were  laid  out 
by  Andrew  Jackson  Downing,  a  landscape  gardener  of  great 
reputation,  who  died  while  prosecuting  this  work.  There  is  a 
beautiful  vase  to  his  memory  erected  here. 

This   Institution   is   the   bequest  of  an   English   gentleman. 


110 

James  Smithson,  an  illegitimate  son  of  a  Duke  of  Northumber- 
land. Mr.  Smithson  was  bom  in  London,  and  graduated,  taking 
an  hoiyDrar^^  degree,  at  Oxford  in  1786.  He  was  a  skOfnl  chemist, 
mineralogist,  and  geologist,  and  was  the  author  of  valuable 
treatises  on  these  various  subjects.  The  bequest  was  "  to  found 
at  Washington,  under  the  name  of  the  Smitlisonian  Institution, 
an  establishment  for  tlie  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge 
among  men."  The  original  bequest  was  $51,5,109.  In  183G 
Congress  accepted  it,  and  it  was  obtained  through  Hon.  Richard 
Rush,  of  Pennsylvania,  designated  a  commissioner  for  the  pur- 
pose. The  accumulated  interest,  etc.,  was  sufl&cient  to  pay  for 
the  erection  of  the  building. 

The  National  Museum  deposited  here  includes  the  collections 
of  all  the  exploring  expeditions  of  the  United  States,  besides  all 
other  sorts  of  curiosities,  and  would  require  weeks  to  examine 
carefully. 

A  low  brick  building,  300  feet  square,  erected  in  1879,  known 
as  the  "Annex  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution,"  is  intended  to 
contain  the  Centennial  Exhibits  of,  and  donations  of  Foreign 
governments  to  the  United  States. 

It  is  situated  southeast  of  the  main  building  and  was  designed 
by  A.  Cluss  &  Schultze. 

The  amount  appropriated  for  its  erection  was  $250,000.  It 
covers  an  area  of  1\  acres. 

The  Smithsonian  Institution  publishes  and  distributes  original 
works  on  General  and  Special  Science,  and  is  engaged  in  exten- 
sive Meteorological  Investigations.  The  Library,  once  centeretl 
here,  has  been  removed  to  the  Capitol  into  a  hall  of  the  Librai^ 
of  Congress. 


Ill 


Washington  Monument. 

This  is  a  white  marble  obelisk,  situated  on  a  bluff  on  the  Po- 
tomac river,  near  the  northwest  terminus  of  Virginia  avenue. 
It  is  the  spot  where  Gen.  Washington  indicated  his  choice  for 
the  erection  of  the  statue  which  the  Continental  Congress  had 
voted  in  honor  of  his  services.     (See  Reservation  No.  3.) 

In  1835  the  Washington  Monument  Association  was  formed. 
Chief -Justice  Marshall  was  its  first  president.  Its  object  was 
to  erect  a  monument  to  the  memory  of  our  great  first  President. 
The  accepted  design  was  the  idea  of  Robert  Mills  ;  a  shaft  ris- 
ing from  a  rotunda  to  the  height  of  600  feet — designed  to  be 
the  highest  structure  ever  reared  by  man,  excepting  the  Tower 
of  Babel. 

The  corner-stone  was  laid  July  4,  1848.  Ex-Prcsident  John 
Quincy  Adams  was  to  have  delivered  the  address,  but,  his 
death  occurring  a  few  months  previous,  Robert  C.  Winthrop, 
of  Massachusetts,  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives, 
was  selected  to  perform  that  duty.  The  amount  collected  was 
$230,000. 

The  funds  were  exhausted  and  work  suspended  before  the 
late  civil  war  culminated  ;  but  Congress  having  made  appro- 
priations for  the  purpose,  work  was  recommenced,  and  the 
shaft  completed  at  a  height  of  555  feet  on  Dec.  6,  1884.  The 
capstone  is  a  cuniform  keystone,  its  height  from  base  to  top 
being  5  feet  2h  inches.  It  is  4  feet  of  inches  high  on  the  outer 
face,  with  a  7-inch  shoulder  to  bind  on  each  side,  extending 
10^  inches  below.  It  is  3  feet  and  a  fraction  square  at  the  bot- 
tom, and  5  inches  in  diameter  at  the  top  where  the  aluminium 
tip  fits  on.     Its  weight  is  3,300  pounds. 


Branch  of  Pension  Bureau. 


113 

The  aluminium  apex  of  the  monument  is  engraved  with  in- 
scriptions, as  follows:  On  one  face,  "Chief  Engineer  and 
Architect,  Thomas  Lincoln  Casey,  Colonel  Corps  of  Engineers  ; 
Assistants,  George  W.  Davis,  Fourteenth  United  States  Infan- 
try ;  Bernard  R.  Green,  Civil  Engineer ;  Master  Mechanic,  P. 
H.  McLaughlin."  On  another,  "Corner-stone  laid  on  bed  of 
foundation  July  4th,  1848.  First  stone  at  height  of  152  feet 
laid  August  7,  1880.  Capstone  set  December  6,  1884."  On  a 
third,  "Joint  Commission  at  setting  of  capstone — Chester  A. 
Arthur,  W.  W.  Corcoran,  (chairman,)  M.  E.  Bell,  Edward 
Clark,  John  Newton.  Act  of  Augusts,  1876."  And  on  the 
fourth  face,  the  words  "■  Laus  Deo — Praise  to  God.  Dedicated 
February  21st,  1885.  Cost  to  date,  $1,130,000,  of  which  amount 
Congress  appropriated  $900,000." 

The  original  design  of  the  Washington  National  Monument 
embraced  the  idea  of  a  grand  circular  colonnaded  building, 
two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  diameter  and  one  hundred  feet 
high,  from  which  is  to  spring  an  obelisk  shaft  seventy  feet  at 
the  base  and  five  hundred  feet  high.  The  obelisk  to  be  con- 
structed first. 

In  the  lapidarium,  i.  e.,  a  collection  of  ornamental  blocks  of 
marble,  etc.,  presented  by  nations.  States,  societies  of  different 
kinds,  etc.,  are  83  memorial  stones,  with  various  inscriptions 
and  designs  chiselled  upon  them,  intended  to  be  placed  in  the 
interior  of  the  monument,  arranged  for  inspection  within  a 
building  on  the  premises.  Besides,  40  memorial  stones  are 
already  inserted  within  the  structure.  Visitors  are  admitted, 
and  an  examination  of  them  will  repay  the  traveller. 

Corcoran  Gallery  of  Art. 

At  the  corner  of  17th  street  and  Penna.  avenue,  opposite  the 
War  Department,  is  the  Corcoran  Gallery  of  Art.  It  is  in  the  re- 
naissance style,  104  ft.  by  124A  ft.,  of  brick,  with  trimmings  of 
Belleville  freestone.  The  building  is  the  gift  of  Mr.  W.  W.  Cor- 
coran, a  retired  wealthy  banker  and  philanthropist  of  Wash- 


114 

ington,  to  the  United  States.  With  it  was  also  given  his  own 
private  art  collection,  and  an  endowment  fund  of  $900,000,  the 
interest  on  which  is  to  be  expended  to  increase  the  value  of  the 
collection.  Facilities  for  copying  the  works  of  the  Gallery  are 
cordially  extended  to  artists  and  students  on  certain  conditions. 
An  admirable  catalogue  has  been  published  of  this  collection, 
which  of  itself  is  a  valuable  compendium  of  art  information,  com- 
piled by  the  Curator,  Mr.  Wm.  Macleod. 

It  is  open  daily,  but  on  Mondays,  Wednesdays,  and  Fridays 
there  is  a  charge  of  25  cents  entrance ;  on  Tuesdays,  Thursdays, 
and  Saturdays  the  admission  is  free.  The  gallery  of  sculpture 
and  bronzes  is  exceedingly  fine,  and  very  valuable. 

Masonic  Temple 

is  at  the  comer  of  9th  and  F  sts.  n.  w.,  opposite  the  Patent 
Office.  Comer-stone  laid  1868.  Cost  $200,000.  Built  of  granite 
and  Connecticut  and  Nova  Scotia  freestone. 

The  Order  was  early  planted  in  the  Federal  City.  Prior  to 
1816  two  Lodges  assembled  in  a  building  near  the  river. 

■  Odd-Fellows'  Hall 
is  on  7th  st. ,  between  D  and  E  sts.  n.  w.     It  was  dedicated  in 
1846;   remodelled  in  1873.     The  first  Lodge  of  the  Order  was 
established  in  the  District  in  1827 ;  the  Grand  Lodge  followed  in 
1828. 

Providence  Hospital. 

This  hospital  was  founded  in  1862  by  the  Sisters  of  Charity. 
Government  has  appropriated,  as  stated  in  a  recent  report,  1876, 
principally  towards  the  erection  of  this  building,  through  the 
exertions  of  Thaddeus  Stevens,  $60,000 ;  and  there  is  still  con- 
tinued an  annual  appropriation  for  75  non-resident  pauper  pa- 
tients.    Its  accommodations  for  pay  patients  are  excellent ;  and 


115 

it  has  attached  to  it  a  library,  reading-room,  and  chapel.  It  is 
situated  at  the  corner  of  D  and  2d  sts.  s.  e. 

Armory. 

In  1855  $30,000  was  appropriated  for  the  erection  of  a  build- 
ing for  the  storing  and  care  of  the  ordnance,  etc.,  of  the  United 
States,  required  for  the  use  of  volunteers  and  militia  of  the  Dis- 
trict. The  building  erected  for  this  purpose  stands  on  the  pub- 
lic reservation  (the  Mall)  near  6th  St.,  and  is  now  used  by  the 
Fish  Commission. 

Early  in  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  it  was  used  as  a  hospi- 
tal, and  gave  name  to  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  useful  of 
the  army  hospitals,  clustered  in  several  wooden  buildings,  near 
its  site. 

Gonzaga  College 
was  founded  a  seminary  in  1848  ;  incorporated  a  university  in 
1858 ;  is  conducted  by  fathers  of  the  Society  of  Jesus.     It  is 
on  I  St.,  between  North  Capitol  and  First  sts.  ».  w. 

Columbian  University, 

formerly  located  on  College  Hill.  In  1883  this  seat  of  learn- 
ing occupied  its  new  building,  corner  15th  and  H  streets  n.  w. 

It  was  founded  by  the  Baptists  ;  was  incorporated  in  1831  ; 
commenced  in  1822. 

In  1873  it  became  a  University.  The  President  of  the  United 
States  and  the  Chief- Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  are  honorary 
members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

The  National  Medical  College,  connected  with  the  University, 
is  on  H  St.,  between  13th  and  14th  sts.  n.  w. ;  founded  in  1824. 
The  building,  in  1864,  was  presented  by  Mr.  W.  W.  Corcoran. 


116 

Howard  University 
occupies  a  commanding  situation  on  a  hill  near  the  northern  ter- 
minus of  the  7th  st.  horse-railroad  route.  It  was  incorporated  in 
1867,  and  named  in  compliment  after  Gen.  Howard,  then  direc- 
tor of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau.  The  admission,  etc. ,  of  pupils  is 
without  regard  to  sex  or  color.  The  value  of  property  is  about 
$600,000. 

Freedmen's  Asylum. 

This  is  in  the  near  neighborhood  of  Howard  University ;  and 
in  the  list  of  expenditures  of  Government  to  1875  is  stated  as 
having  cost  for  its  support  $207,716.90. 

Wayland  Seminary. 
In  1865  this  institution  was  founded  for  the  purpose  of  edu- 
cating colored  preacliers  and  teachers.  It  is  situated  near  Colum- 
bian University.  The  seminary  is  three  stories  high,  of  brick, 
with  mansard  roof  and  tower ;  cost  $35,000.  It  is  one  of  seven 
schools  supported  in  the  South  by  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society. 

BENEVOLENT    INSTITUTIONS. 

National  Soldiers  and  Sailors  Orphans'  Home,  G  St.,  be- 
tween 17th  and  18th  sts.  n.  w.;  incorporated  in  1866;  amount 
appropriated  by  Government  $77,381.25  ;  under  the  charge  of  a 
board  of  lady  managers.  No  applicants  received  under  six  years 
old,  nor  kept  after  16  years. 

Louise  Home,  on  Massachusetts  avenue,  between  15th  and 
16th  sts.  n.  w.;  built  in  1871.  It  provides  an  ek-^'ant  home  for 
reduced  gentlewomen,  and  is  the  gift  of  the  wi'iililiy  Washing- 
tonian,  Mr.  W.  "W.  Corcoran,  who  has  called  it  by  the  name  of 
his  wife  and  daughter,  ladies  now  dead.     It  cost  $200,000,  and 


Howard  University 


118 

has  an  endowment  of  $250,000.  It  accommodates  55  persons. 
The  inmates  are  invited  by  the  lady  directresses.  Open  to  vis- 
itors every  week  day,  after  12  noon. 

Washington  City  Orphan  Asylum,  comer  of  14th  and  S  sts. 
n.  w.;  founded  in  1815.  Dolly  Madison  was  first  directress,  and 
Mrs.  Van  Ness  (Marcia  Burns)  second.  Incorporated  in  1 828. 
It  is  under  the  control  of  benevolent  Protestant  ladies. 

Children's  Hospital  is  on  W  st  ,  between  12th  and  13th  sts. 
n.  w.;  incorporated  in  1871.  Its  object  is  to  provide  free  sur- 
gical and  medical  treatment  for  the  poor  children  of  the  District. 
It  is  under  the  patronage  of  the  benevolent.  A  free  dispensary 
is  connected  with  it.  Sundays,  Tuesdays,  and  Fridays,  from  3 
to  5  P.  M.,  are  visiting  days.  Value  of  building,  designed  by 
Mr.  Jno.  C.  Harkness,  $23,622.22.  Value  of  square,  $24,500.00. 
Value  of  furniture  and  appHances,  $2,000.00.  Total,  $50,122.22. 
The  new  building  was  first  occupied  October,  1878. 

St.  John's  Hospital,  for  children  ;  under  the  direction  of  the 
St.  John  Sisterhood  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  The  new  house  is 
on  H.  St.,  between  19th  and  20th  sts.  n.  w.  Received  an  appro- 
priation from  Government  of  $25,000. 

St.  Ann's  Infant  Asylum  ;  founded  1863 ;  for  children  less 
than  five  years ;  under  the  management  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity. 
A  lying-in  liospital  is  attached.  Corner  of  K  and  24th  sts.  n.  w. 
Visiting  day,  Thursday,  from  2  to  5  P.  M. 

St  Joseph's  Male  Orphan  Asylum  ;  founded  1855 ;  under 
the  care  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Holy  Cross;  is  on  H  st.,  between 
9th  and  10th  sts.  n.  w. 

St.  Vincent's  Female  Orphan  Asylum  ;  formded  1831 ;  un- 
der the  care  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity ;  is  on  the  s.  w.  comer  of 
G  and  10th  sts.  n.  w.  A  branch,  known  as  St.  Rose's  Orphan 
Home,  is  on  G  st.,  between  20th  and  21st  sts.  n.  w.  This  is  for 
the  more  adult,  and  the  girls  are  taught  a  trade. 


119 

The  Visitation  Academy,  ou  Conn,  avenue,  between  L  and 
Mn.  w.,  is  under  the  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Visitation,  and 
is  an  emanation  from  the  elder  institution  in  Georgetown. 

Academy  of  the  Holy  Cross,  Mass.  ave.,  between  13th  and 
14th  streets  n.  w.     Under  the  charge  of  Sisters  of  that  order. 

The  Epiphany  Church  Home  is  on  H  st.,  between  13th  and 
i4th  sts.  n.  w.     Newly  built. 

The  Home  for  the  Aged  is  at  the  corner  of  3d  and  H  sts. 
n.  e.  It  is  under  the  charge  of  the  Little  Sisters  of  tlie  Poor. 
An  appropriation  of  $25,000  was  given  by  Government. 

Women's  Christian  Association,  13th  and  R  sts.  n.  w. 


HOTELS. 

Arlington,  on  Vermont  avenue,  near  President's  House ;  ca- 
pacity, 325  guests. 

Ebbitt,  corner  P  and  14th  sts.  n.  w.;  capacity,  350  guests. 

,  corner  15th  and  I  sts.  n.  w. ;  on  European  plan. 

Harris  House.  E  st.,  (facing  Penn.  ave.,)  between  13th  and 
14th  sts.  n.  w.     Rooms  without  board.     Capacity,  200  guesfs. 

St.  James,  cor.  Penna.  ave.  and  6th  st.  n.  w. ;  European  plan. 

St.  Marc,  cor.  Penna.  ave.  and  7th  st.  n.  w.;  European  plan. 

Metropolitan,  on  Penn.  avenue,  between  6th  and  7th  sts.  n.  w.; 
3apacity,  900  guests. 

National,  on  Penn.  avenue,  cor.  of  Oth  st.  n.  w.;  capacity,  500. 

Riggs  House,  corner  of  15th  and  G  sts.  n.  w. 

Tremont,  corner  of  2d  st.  and  Ind.  ave.,  near  B.  &  O.  Depot. 

Willard's,  on  Penn.  avenue  and  14th  st.  n.  w.;  capacity,  500. 

Wormley's,  on  15th  and  H  sts.  n.  w.;  capacity,  150. 

These  are  the  most  notable.  There  are  other  hotels  of  lowei 
prices,  suited  to  all  classes  of  persons. 


120 


PLACES  OF  AMUSEMENT. 

Albaugh's  Grand  Opera  House,  corner  E  and  15th  sts.  n.  w. 

National  Theatre,  on  E  St.,  between  13th  and  14th  sts.  n.  w. 
It  virtually  fronts  on  Pennsylvania  avenue. 

Ford's  Opera  House,  on  9th  St.  n.  w.,  south  of  Pennsylvania 
avenue. 

Theatre  Comique,  at  the  corner  of  C  and  11th  sts.  n.  w. 

Odd-Fellows'  Hall,  Navy-yard,  Eighth  st.  s.  e. 

Masonic  Hall,  corner  F  and  9th  sts.  n.  w. 

Lincoln  Hall,  corner  of  D  and  9th  sts.  n.  w. 

Willard  Hall,  F  St.,  between  14th  and  15th  sts.  n.  w. 

Franklin  Hall,  n.  w.  corner  of  C  and  6th  sts.  n.  w. 


PRINCIPAL  MARKETS. 

Center  Market;  410  feet  front,  between  7th  and  9th  sts.,  on 
the  south  side  of  Pennsylvania  avenue  n.  w.;  built,  1870. 

Eastern  Market,  on  Capitol  Hill,  at  the  junction  of  7th  st.  e. 
and  North  Carolina  avenue  ;  built,  1873. 

Western  Market,  on  K,  between  20th  and  21st  sts.  n.  w.  "T 

Riggs  Market,  P  st.,  between  14th  and  15th  sts.  n.  w. 

Northern  Liberty  Market,  on  5th  St.,  between  K  and  L  sts. 
n.  w. ;  is  of  brick  ;  324  feet  long  ;  cost  $140,000  ;  built  1875. 


RAILROADS. 

For  South,  North,  East,  and  West,  Baltimore  and  Potomac. 
Depot  corner  B  and  6th  sts.  n.  w.,  near  Pennsylvania  avenue. 


122 

For  East,  North,  and  West,  Baltimore  and  Ohio.  Depot  cor- 
ner  of  (3  st.  and  New  Jersey  avenue,  near  the  Capitol. 

HORSE-CAR  ROUTES. 

Columbia  Railway.  From  the  Treasury,  15th  st.  and  Nevr 
York  avenue,  to  H  st.  and  Boundary  n.  e.  It  intersects  the  Me- 
tropolitan at  9th  St.  and  the  7th  st.  line  at  7th  st. 

Metropolitan  Railway.  From  17th  st.,  south  of  Penn.  ave., 
near  the  State  Department,  to  Senate  wing  of  Capitol. 

The  Georgetown  and  East  Capitol  Street  Branch  of  this 
route  runs  from  Georgetown,  near  the  Convent,  to  Lincoln 
square. 

The  Ninth  St.  Branch,  from  northern  terminus  of  9th  st. 
to  the  Arsenal  gate. 

Silver  Spring  Branch,  from  northern  terminus  of  7th  st. 
route  to  the  road  leading  to  Soldiers'  Home  and  Rock  Greek 
Church. 

Washington  and  Georgetown  Railway,  Main  Branch.  At 
the  corner  of  Pennsylvania  avenue  and  1st  st.  n.  w.  passengers 
going  to  or  coming  from  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  depot  are 
transferred  without  extra  charge. 

Fourteenth  St.  Branch.  From  the  Treasury,  15th  st.  and 
New  York  avenue,  to  the  Boundary  north.  Exchange  tickets 
given  for  Pennsylvania  avenue  line. 

Seventh  St.  Branch.  From  the  Boundary  north  to  the  river 
front.     Exchange  tickets  given  for  Pennsylvania  avenue  line. 

Capitol,  North  O  st.  and  South  Washington  Railroad;  or, 
••  The  Belt,"  so  called  from  the  circuitous  route  it  traverses. 
It  starts  on  Maryland  avenue,  at  the  foot  of  Capitol  Hill  west, 
south  side  of  the  Botanical  Garden,  and  proceeds  north  to  O  st., 
then  west  to  11th  st.,  then  turns  south  to  E  st.,  again  west  to 


123 

14th  Bt.,  then  south  to  Ohio  avenue,  which  it  traverses  s.  e.  ta 
12th  St.,  then  south,  crossing  the  Mall,  to  Virginia  avenue,  along 
which  it  travels  to  its  intersection  with  Maryland  avenue,  then 
along  that  avenue  to  the  place  from  which  it  started. 

The  Anacostia  and  Potomac  River  Street  Railroad  com- 
mences  at  6th  st.  Wharf  and  M  st.  s.  w. ;  thence  runs  east  along 
M  st.  to  11th  st.  s.  e.;  then  south  along  11th  st.,  crossing  Ana- 
costia Bridge  into  Uniontown ;  terminating  there. 

The  tickets  of  the  various  street  railroads  interchange,  thus  con- 
ferring a  great  favor  upon  passengers. 

CHURCHES. 
Denominations  alphabetically  a/rranged. 
Baptist. 
FiBST  Baptist,  13th  st. ,  between  G  and  H  sts.  n.  w. 
Second  Church,  corner  of  Virginia  avenue  and  4th  st.  b.  e, 
E-Stbeet  Church,  south  side,  between  6th  and  7th  sts.  n.  w. 
Calvary  Church,  corner  of  H  and  8th  sts.  n.  w. 
Fifth  Baptist  Church,  D  st. ,  near  4 J  st.  s.  w. 
North  Baptist  Church,  14th  st.,  near  R  st.  n.  w. 
Kendall  Mission  Chapel,  corner  13|^  and  D  sts.  s.  w. 
Calvary  Mission  Chapel,  corner  of  5th  and  P  sts.  n,  w. 
Metropolitan  Baptist  Chapel,  (erected  1875,)  s.  w.  corner  of 
A  and  6th  sts.  n.  e. 

Gay-Street  Baptist,  cor.  of  Congress  and  Gay,  Georgetown^ 

Baptist  Colored  Churches. 
Second  Baptist,  3d  st.,  near  I  st.  n.  w. 
Third  Baptist,  Franklin,  between  P  and  Q  sts.  n.  w. 
Fourth  Baptist,  R  st,,  between  12th  and  13th  sts.  n.  w. 
Fifth  Baptist,  Vermont  avenue,  between.  Q  and  R  sts.  n.  vr^ 
Sixth  Baptist,  near  comer  of  6th  and  G  sts.  s.  w. 


124 

l^iNETEENTH  Street,  comer  of  19th  and  I  sts.  n.  w. 

Shiloh,  L  St.,  between  16th  and  17th sts.  n.  w. 

Hehoboth,  1st  st  ,  near  O  st.  s.  w. 

Mt.  Zion,  F  St.,  between  3d  and  4^  sts.  s.  w. 

Liberty  Church,  E  st.,  corner  of  18th  n.  w. 

Abyssinian,  Vermont  avenue,  corner  of  R  st.  n,  w. 

L-Street  Baptist,  corner  of  4th  and  L  sts.  n.  w. 

Enon,  corner  of  6th  st.  and  South  Carolina  avenue  s.  e. 

Mt.  Oliver  Baptist  Church,  6th  st.,  between  L  and  M  n.  e. 

First  Baptist  Church.  Dunbarton  and  Monroe  sts.,  Georget'n. 

Christadelphian  Sjmagogue. 
Cheistadelphian  Synagogue,  Circuit-Court  Room,  City  HalL 

Christian. 
Oheistian  Church,  Vermont  avenue,  between  N  and  O  sts.  n.  w. 

Congregational. 

First  Congregational  Church,  comer  of  10th  and  G  sts.  n.  w. 
Episcopal. 

St.  John's  Church,  corner  of  16th  and  H  sts.  n.  w. 

Epiphany  Church,  G  st.,  between  13th  and  14th  sts.  n.  w. 

Trinity  Church,  corner  of  3d  and  C  sts.  n.  w. 

Church  of  the  Ascension,  comer  of  Massachusetts  avenue 
*ud  12th  st.  n.  w. 

Christ  Church,  G  st. ,  between  6th  and  7th  s.  e. 

Grace  Church,  D  st. ,  between  8th  and  9th  s.  w. 

Church  of  the  Incarnation,  corner  of  12th  and  N  sts.  n.  w. 

St.  Mark's  Church,  8d  st. ,  between  A  and  B  sts.  s.  e. 

St.  Paul's  Church,  (Ritualistic,)  23d  st.  n.  w.,  south  of  Penn- 
sylvania avenue  Circle. 

Church  of  the  Holy  Communion,  22d  st.,  nearE  st.  n.  w. 


125 

Church  of  the  TIoiiY  Cnoss.  corner  19th  and  P  sts.  n.  w. 

St.  Andrew's  CnTTRCH,  1 4th  nnd  Corcoran  sts.  n.  w. 

St.  James'  Parish,  services  in  the  house,  No.  819  H  st.  n.  e. 

St.  Paul's  Church,  (Rock  Creek,)  near  Soldiers'  Home. 

Emanuel  Church,  Washington  st. ,  Uniontown. 

Christ  Church,  cor.  Congress  and  Beall  sts.,  Georgetowru 

St.  John's  Church,  2d  and  Potomac  sts. ,  Georgetown. 

Grace  Church,  High,  between  Bridge  and  Water  Georgetown. 

St.  Alban's,  High  st.,  extended,  Georgetown. 

Episcopal,  ^colored.) 
St.  Mary's  Chapel,  23d  st.,  between  H  and  I  sts. 

Episcopal,  (reformed.) 
No  settled  place  of  worship. 

Friends'  Meeting  Houses. 

Mebtino  House,  (Hicksite,)  I  st.,  between  18th  and  19th  sts. 
n.  w.,  north  side. 

Meeting  House,  (Orthodox,)  13th  st.,  between  B  and  S  Bts> 
n.  w. 

German  Reformed  Church. 

First  Reformed  Church,  comer  of  6th  and  N  sts.  n.  w.  Ger- 
man service  in  the  morning ;  English  service  in  the  evening. 

Hebrew  Synagogues. 
CoNGBEOATioN  Adas  Israel,  (Orthodox,)  comer  of  6th  and  G 

sts.  n.  w.     Services  every  Friday  evening  at  sunset,  and  every 
Saturday  at  8  A.  M.  and  4  P.  M. 

Washington  Hebrew  Congregation,  8th  st.,  between  H  and 
I  sts.  n.  w.  Services  Friday  evening  at  7  o'clock  and  Sabbatb 
(Saturday)  morning  at  9  o'clock. 


12G 

Lutheran. 

St.  Paul's  Chueoh,  (English,)  corner  of  11th  and  H  ets.  n.  w. 

Memorial  Church,  (English,)  corner  of  N  and  14:th  sts.  n.  w. 

German  Evangelical  Congregation  of  Trinity,  Unaltered 
Augsburg  Confession,  corner  of  4th  and  E  sts,  n.  w. 

German  Evangelical  Church,  comer  of  20th  and  G  sts.  n.  w. 

German  Evangelical,  St.  John's  Church,  4^  st.  s.  w. 

Capitol-Hill  Mission,  1st  st.,  near  C  st.  s.  e. 

German  Evangelical  Association,  6th  st.,  between  L  and 
M  sts.  n.  w. 

Lutheran  Church,  corner  of  High  and  4th  sts.,  Georgetown. 

Methodist  Episcopal. 

Metropolitan,  corner  of  4|^  and  C  sts.  n.  w. 

Foundry  Church,  corner  of  14th  and  G  sts.  n.  w. 

Wesley  Chapel,  corner  of  5th  and  F  sts.  n.  w. 

McKendree  Church,  Massachusetts  avenue,  between  9th  and 
10th  sts.  n.  w. 

Ryland  Chapel,  comer  of  10th  and  D  sts.  s.  w. 

Union  Chapel,  20th  st. ,  near  Pennsylvania  avenue  n.  w. 

Waugh  Chapel,  corner  of  3d  and  A  sts.  n.  e. 

Hamline  Church,  corner  of  9th  and  P  sts.  n.  w. 

Grace  Chapel,  corner  of  9th  and  S  sts.  n,  w. 

Fourth-Street  Church,  4th  st.,  between  South  Carolina  ave- 
one  and  G  st.  s.  e. 

Twelfth-Street  Church,  corner  of  12th  and  E  sts.  s.  e. 

Fletcher  Chapel,  corner  of  New  York  ave.  and  4th  st.  n.  w 

GoRsucH  Chapel,  corner  of  L  and  4^  sts.  s.  w. 

Providence  Chapel,  corner  of  2d  and  I  sts.  n.  e. 

Mt.  Zion  Chapel,  corner  of  15th  and  R  sts.  n.  w. 

McKendree  Mission,  H  st.,  between  8th  and  9th  sts.  n.  e. 

Memorial  M.  E.  Chapel,  1878,  H  and  11th  sts.  n.  e. 

U^"I0NT0WN,  nearly  opposite  the  Navy-yard. 


127 

DuNBABTON  Stbeet,  between  Congress  and  High  sts, ,  George- 
town. 

West  Geobgetown  Chubch,  corner  of  Fayette  and  7th  sts., 
Georgetown. 

Methodist  Episcopal  South. 

Mount  Veenon  Chtjech,  corner  9th  and  K  sts.  n.  w. 
Methodist  Protestant. 

Methodist  Pbotestant  Chueoh,  on  9th  st. ,  between  E  and  F 
sts.  n.  w. 

Fibst  M.  p.  Chubch,  Virginia  avenue,  near  Navy-yard. 

M.  P.  Mission,  corner  of  8th  st.  and  North  Carolina  ave.  s.  e. 

Congeess-Steeet    Chubch,    between  Bridge   and    Gay  sts., 
Georgetown. 

Mount  Pleasant  Chueoh,  comer  of  Fayette  and  High  sts., 
Georgetown. 

Methodist  Colored  Churches. 

Wesley  Zion,  D  st. ,  between  2d  and  3d  sts.  s.  w. 
Union  Wesley,  23d,  near  L  st.  n.  w. 
John  Wesley,  Connecticut  avenue,  near  L  st.  n.  w. 
Galbeaith  Chapel,  L  st. ,  between  4th  and  5th  sts.  n.  w. 
IsEAEL  Bethel,  corner  of  B  and  1st  sts.  s.  w. 
Union  Bethel,  M  st.,  between  15th  and  16th  sts.  n.  w. 
St.  Paul's  Chapel,  8th  st. ,  between  D  and  E  sts.  s.  w. 
Mt.  Pisgah  Chapel,  10th  st.,  between  Q  and  E.  sts.  n.  w. 
Asbuby,  corner  of  11th  and  K  sts,  n.  w. 
Ebenezee,  corner  of  D  and  Ith  sts.  s.  e. 
AsBUEY  Mission,  corner  Boundary  and  9th  sts.  n.  w. 
Ebenezee  A.  M.  E.  Chubch,  Beall  st.,  between  Montgomery 
and  Monroe  sts. ,  Georgetown. 
Mt.  Zio:n  M.  E.  Chubch,  West  st.,  Georgetown. 
A.  M.  E.  Chuech,  Hillsdale,  D.  C. 
A.  M.  E.  Chueoh,  Good  Hope,  D.  C. 


128 

New  Jerusalem. 
Temple  of  the  New  Jerusalem  Chtjbch,  North  Capitol  bL, 
between  B  and  G  sts.  n.  e.     Seats  free. 

Presbyterian. 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  4^  st.,  betvreen  Louisiana  avenue 
and  C  St.  n.  w. 

New  York  Avenue  Church,  New  York  avenue,  oetween  13th 
and  14th  sts.  n.  w. 

Fourth  Church,  9th  st.,  between  G  and  H  sts.  n.  w. 

Assembly's  Church,  comer  of  5th  and  I  sts.  n.  w. 

Sixth  Church,  6th  st. ,  near  Maryland  avenue,  s.  w. 

Western  Presbyterian  Church,  H  st. ,  between  19th  and  20th 
sts.  n.  w.,  near  Pennsylvania  avenue. 

Metropolitan  Presbyterian  Church,  comer  of  4th  and  B  sts. 
8.  e. 

Westminster  Presbyterian  Church,  7th  st. ,  between  D  and 
E  sts.  8.  w. 

North  Presbyterian,  on  N  st.,  between  9th  and  10th sts.  n.w. 

Reformed  Presbyterian,  1st  st.,  between  N  and  O  sts.  s.  w. 

Central  Presbyterian,  comer  of  3d  and  I  sts.  n.  w. 

Eastern  Presbyterian,  8tli  st.,  between  F  and  G  sts.  n.  e. 

GuRLEY  Mission,  Botmdary,  near  7th  st.  n.  w. 

West-Street  Presbyterian  Church,  between  Congress  and 
High  sts.,  Georgetown. 

Presbyterian,  (colored.) 
Fifteenth-Street  Presbyterian  Chuboh,  15th  st.,  between  I 
and  K  sts.  n.  w. 

Roman  Catholic. 

St.  Patrick's  Church,  G  st.,  between  9th  and  10th  sts.  n.  w. 
The  oldest  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  Washington. 


129 

St.  Peter's  Church,  corner  of  2d  and  C  sts.  s.  e.  Built  on 
ground  donated  by  Daniel  Carroll,  of  Duddington,  one  of  the 
largest  original  proprietors  of  the  Federal  City. 

St.  Matthew's  Church,  corner  of  loth  and  H  sts.  n.  w. 

St.  Mary's  Church,  (German,)  5th  St.,  near  H  st.  n.  w. 

St.  Dominic's  Church,  corner  of  6th  and  E  sts.  s.  w. 

St.  Aloysius  Church,  corner  of  N.  Capitol  and  I  sts.  n.  w. 

Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  corner  of  8th 
and  N  sts.  n.  w. 

St.  Stephen's  Church,  corner  of  Pennsylvania  avenue  and 
25th  St.  n.  w. 

St.  Joseph's  Church,  (German,)  corner  of  2d  and  C  sts. 
n.  e. 

Trinity  Church,  corner  of  1st  and  Lingan  sts.,  George- 
town. 

St.  Teresa,  Uniontown. 

Roman  Catholic,  (colored.) 
St.  Augustine's  Church,  15th  st.,  near  L  st.  n.  w. 

Unitarian. 
All  Souls'  Church,  corner  of  14th  and  L  sts.  n.  w. 

Universalist. 
Church  of  our  Father,  corner  of  13th  and  L  sts.  n.  w. 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

From  a  recent  report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Education  we 
extract  the  following  information  with  regard  to  the  Public 
Schools  of  the  Federal  City  : 


130 

The  Avhole  school  population  of  Washington  and  Georgetown, 
white  and  colored,  in  1880,  was  43,558.  The  number  of  scholars 
enrolled  in  the  public  schools  in  1884  was  30,388.  Amount 
expended  for  public  school  purposes,  1883-'84,  was  #559,  697.04. 

The  colored  schools  are  distinct  from  the  white. 

We  will  mention  the  locality  and  names  of  some  of  the  prom 
inent  school-houses  : 

Name  of  School.  Locality. 

High  School 0  st.,  bet.  6th  and  7th  n.w White. 

Franklin Corner  13th  and  K  sts.  n.w " 

Seaton I  st.,  bet.  2d  and  3d  n.w " 

Jefferson... Corner  6th  and  D  sts.  s.w " 

Abbot Cor.  N.  Y.  ave.  and  6th  st.  n.w.  " 

Curtis 2dst.,bt.  High  and  Market,  G'n.  " 

Cranch Corner  1 2th  and  G  sts.  s.e " 

Wallach Pa.  ave.,  bet.  7th  and  8th  sts.  s  e.  " 

Wormlej^ Prospect  st.,  Georgetown " 

Analostan G  st.,  bet.  2lst  and  22d  u.w " 

Force Mass.  av.,  bt.  17th  and  ISthn.w.  " 

Berret Corner  14th  and  Qsts.  n.w " 

Thompson I2th  st.,  bet.  K  and  Ln.w " 

Potomac ,,.l2th  St.,  bet.  Md.  av.  and  E.  s.w.  " 

Webster Corner  10th  and  H  sts.  n.w " 

Henry P  st.,  bet.  6th  and  7th  n.w " 

Amidon Corner  6th  and  F  sts.  s.w " 

Morse  Rst.,  bet.  N.  J.  ave.  and 5th  n.w.  " 

Greenleaf 4^st.,  bet.  M  and  N  s.w " 

Twining !! 8d  st.,  bet.  N  and  O  n.w " 

Gales Cor.  1st  st.  and  Mass.  ave.  n.w..  " 

Brent Corner  3d  and  D  sts.  s.e " 

McCormick  3d  st.,  bet.  M  and  N  s.e " 

Peabody Corner  5th  and  C  sts.  n.e " 

Anacostia 9tli  st.,  bet.  K  and  Va.  ave.  s.e..  '* 

Sumner Corner  17th  and  M  sts.  n.w Colored. 

Miner 17th  st.,  bet.  P  and  Qn.w " 

Stevens 21st  st.,  bet.  K  and  L  n.w " 


131 

Name  of  School.  Locality. 

Jolin  F.  Cook O  st.,  bet.  4th  and  othn.w Colored. 

Eandall 1st  and  I  sts.  s.w " 

Lincoln Corner  2d  and  C  sts.  s.e " 

Chamberlain East  st.  n.w " 

Garnet Corner  lOth  and  U  sts. n.w.. " 

Anthony  Bowen Corner  9th  and  E  sts.  s.w " 

Banneker 3d  st.,  bet.  K  and  L  n.w " 

Lovejoy Corner  12th  and  D  sts.  n.e '' 

WATER-WORKS. 

The  water  supplying  the  city  of  Washington  is  brought  from 
above  the  Great  Falls  of  the  Potomac,  18^  miles  from  the  Navy 
Yard.  The  Aqueduct  is  a  succession  of  wonderful  instances  of 
the  triumph  of  the  civil  engineer.  It  is  a  cylindrical  conduit  of 
9  feet  internal  diameter,  and  conveys  the  water  from  the  Great 
Falls  to  a  Distributing  Resercoir,  \h  miles  from  the  Capitol.  The 
daily  supply  is  30  millions  of  gallons  ;  daily  consumption  23  mil- 
lions, and  fuU  capacity  of  the  aqueduct  80  millions  of  gallons. 

The  fii'st  ground  was  broken  on  the  Washington  aqueduct  by 
President  Pierce,  Nov.  8,  1853.     It  has  cost  $3,o00,000. 

Cabin-John  Bridge 
is  one  of  the  distinguishing  features  of  this  great  enterprise. 
The  bridge  is  20  feet  wide  and  420  feet  long ;  a  single  arch  of 
220  ft.  spans  the  chasm.  It  cost  $237,000.  Capt.,  now  General 
Montgomery  C.  Meigs,  of  the  U.  S.  Corps  of  Engineers,  was  the 
constructor  of  this  bridge  and  of  the  aqueduct. 

"  The  length  of  pipe  line  is  18  miles  ;  12  tunnels,  the  longest 
1,438  feet;  total  tunnelling,  G,653  feet,  and  6  bridges." 

A  stand-pipe  of  iron  60  feet  high  was  erected  in  1877,  at  16th 
and  Boundary  sts.  n.  w.     The  cost  was  $37,000. 


133 
FALLS   OF    THE    POTOMAC. 

The  Little  Falls  of  the  Potomac  are  very  beautiful,  and  are 
about  4  miles  above  Washington,  being  a  series  of  cascades  in 
all  of  37  feet.  It  is  here  the  Chain  Bridge,  as  it  is  called, 
crosses  the  river.  A  curious  fact  is  that  all  the  bridges  which 
have  crossed  the  Potomac  at  this  point  have  been  called  chain 
bridges,  when,  in  fact,  but  one  was  of  that  construction.  The 
bridge  erected  here  before  1811  was  a  chain  suspension  bridge, 
and  its  various  successors  Tof  which  there  have  been  several) 
have,  in  turn,  been  so  called.  The  present  one  is  a  Howe-truss 
iron  bridge,  free,  and  cost  $5100,000. 

The  Great  Falls,  as  already  stated,  are  some  10  miles  above 
the  Little  Falls,  and  are  wonderfully  grand.  The  rocky 
channel  here  is  narrowed  to  100  yds.,  and  in  a  series  of  cascades 
the  river  descends  80  feet  in  the  course  of  a  mile  and  a  half.  The 
Virginia  shore  towers  70  feet  of  perpendicular  rock  above  the 
bed  of  the  river. 

ANALOSTAN  ISLAND 
is  situated  opposite  Georgetown,  and  contains  about  70  acres;  it 
is  connected  with  the  Virginia  shore  by  a  causeway.  It  was 
formerly  the  residence  of  Gen.  John  Mason,  in  the  war  of  1812 
commissary-general.  It  was  once  under  admirable  cultivation, 
and  the  earhest  known  Guide-Book  of  Washington,  by  Warden, 
gives  a  glowing  account  of  its  fertility  and  the  elegant  hospitality 
of  its  owner.  It  is  now  a  place  of  holiday  resort  for  picnics,  etc. 
The  mansion  still  stands,  dilapidated  and  shorn  of  its  former 
splendor.  The  Confederate  commissioner  to  Europe,  James  M. 
Mason,  arrested  by  Admiral  Wilkes,  was  born  on  this  island. 


184 

CEMETERIES. 

We  have  in  other  places  mentioned  the  Arlington,  Congres. 
Bional,  and  Oak  Hill  Cemeteries,  and  the  National  Military  Cem- 
etery at  the  Soldiers'  Home.  There  are  besides  these  other 
cemeteries  of  interest  of  considerable  extent  and  beauty  lying 
around  the  city  of  Washington. 

The  oldest  of  these  is  Rock- Creek  Church  Cemetery,  near 
the  Soldiers'  Home.  Rock-Creek  Church  was  first  erected  in 
1719,  rebuilt  in  1775,  and  remodelled  in  1868.  The  main  walls 
are  those  built  in  1719.  A  monument  here  beai's  the  date  of 
177.5.  About  one-half  of  the  glebe  belonging  to  this  old  parish 
church  has  of  late  years  been  added  to  the  cemetery.  The  ven- 
erable Peter  Force,  so  long  conspicuous  in  the  Federal  City,  is 
interred  here. 

Glenwood  Cemetery  lies  about  a  mile  and  a  half  north  of  the 
Capitol.  It  embraces  90  acres,  and  was  incorporated  in  1854. 
Amos  Kendall,  Postmaster-General  in  the  time  of  Jackson  and 
Van  Buren,  is  buried  here. 

Near  the  entrance  to  Glenwood  are  Prospect  Hill  Cemetery, 
17  acres;  and  St.  Mary's  Burying  Ground,  3  acres. 

Mount  Olivet  Cemetery,  comprising  70  acres,  is  on  the 
Columbia  turnpike,  ^  mile  north  of  the  east  terminus  of  the 
Columbia  Horse  Railway;  incorporated  in  1862.  Many  Roman 
Catholics  of  eminence  are  buried  here. 

Graceland  Cemetery,  about  40  acres,  is  situated  at  the  east 
terminus  of  the  Columbia  Horse  Railway  ;  opened  1872. 

Two  of  the  oldest  cemeteries,  the  Eastern  and  Western,  have 
been  displaced  by  recent  improvements,  and  the  many  burying- 
places  immediately  surrounding  the  churches  have  had  for  the 
most  part  the  dead  removed  from  them. 


135 
GEORGETOWN 

is  separated  from  Washington  by  Kock  creek,  and  lies  northwest 
of  the  city.  Horse  rail-cars  enter  Georgetown  by  both  the  Penn. 
ave.  and  P  st.  routes.  It  was  a  town  of  some  importance  at  the 
time  the  Federal  City  was  located.     Population  in  1880,  12,578. 

Georgetown  Heights  presents  admirable  building  sites,  and 
is  occupied  by  beautiful  residences,  many  of  them  of  a  palatial 
character. 

Oak- Hill  Cemetery  (originally  10  acres)  is  situated  on  the 
Heights,  and  for  beauty  of  situation,  exquisite  taste  in  adorn- 
ment, and  general  management,  challenges  comparison  with  any 
cemetery  in  the  world.  It  has  been  gradually  enlarged,  and  was 
originally  the  gift  of  Mr,  W.  W.  Corcoran.  It  now  embraces  W 
acres. 

Secretary  Stanton,  Chief -Justice  Chase,  and  many  other  dis- 
tinguished dead,  are  buried  here. 

Georgetown  High-service  Reservoir,  with  a  capacity  of 
1,000,000  gallons,  is  an  object  of  interest.  It  is  at  the  head  of 
Market  st.;  the  surface  water  is  215  feet  above  tide,  and  70  feet 
above  the  Distributing  Eeservoir. 

The  Convent  of  the  Visitation,  founded  in  1799,  is  an  insti- 
tution of  note.  In  the  Convent  vault  a  daughter  of  Gen.  Scott 
is  buried.  She  was  a  religieuse  of  the  order.  The  Academy 
under  the  care  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Visitation  was  founded  at 
the  same  time.  In  1873  an  addition  was  made  to  the  establish- 
ment.    The  Academy  grounds  include  30  acres. 

Georgetown  College,  founded  in  1789,  raised  to  an  university 
in  1815,  is  probably  the  oldest  Roman  CathoHc  college  in  the 
country.  It  is  under  the  care  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Society  of 
Jesus.     The  library  contains  many  rare  works  and  some  valuable 


136 


manuscripts  ;  and  in  the  Museum  are  coins  and  medals,  with  in- 
teresting relics  of  Commodore  Decatur. 

A  new  building,  forming  a  frontage  to  the  original  main  build- 
ing, and  which  of  itself  would  constitute  one  of  the  finest  col- 
legiate edifices  in  America,  designed  by  Smithmeyer  and  finished 
in  1879,  has  greatly  increased  its  educational  capacity. 

The  Linthicum  Institute  and  the  Peabody  Library  are  ac- 
commodated in  the  Public-School  building  on  2d  and  Potomac 
sts.;  three  stories,  basement,  and  mansard,  designed  by  Adolf 
Cluss,  and  cost  $70,000;  built  1875. 

Edward  Linthicum,  a  retired  hardware  merchant,  left  by  will 
$50,000  for  the  education  of  poor  white  boys.  George  Peabody, 
the  world-renowned  milhonaire  philanthropist,  (and  once  a  resi- 
dent of  Georgetown,)  funded  $22,000  to  institute  the  Peabody 
Library. 

A  Home  for  Aged  Women  is  also  a  thoughtful  and  beautiful 
charity  of  this  town. 


137 

ALEXANDRIA. 

Alexandria  is  6  miles  distant  from  Washington.  Boats  ply 
every  hour  during  daytime  between  the  two  cities,  and  there  is 
also  hourly  railroad  communication.  The  city  was  founded  in 
1 748,  then  called  Bellhaven,  the  beautiful  harbor.  Population 
in  1870,  13,570. 

Christ  Church  is  an  Episcopal  church  in  Alexandria,  over  a 
hundred  years  old,  (1773,)  which  General  Washington  used  to 
attend.     His  pew  is  pointed  out  to  strangers. 

A  National  Cemetery  is  near  Alexandria,  containing  the 
graves  of  4,000  soldiers. 

MOUNT  VERNON, 
the  home  and  tomb  of  Washington,  is  about  sixteen  miles  down 
the  Potomac  from  the  Federal  city.  A  boat  starts  daily,  except- 
ing on  Sunday,  from  7th  st.  wharf,  at  10  A.  M.,  for  Mount  Ver- 
non; returning,  it  reaches  Washington  at  3.30  P.  M.,  thus  allow- 
ing excursionists  ample  time  to  explore  the  house  and  grounds. 
The  scenery  between  Washington  and  Mount  Vernon  is  not 
only  beautiful,  but  replete  with  interesting  national  associations. 
A  fine  view  is  obtained  of  Arlington  House,  on  the  Virginia 
shore.  Opposite  it  is  the  Washington  Monument,  forlorn  in  its 
unfinished  state.  Then  the  receding  city  passes  away  like  a 
panoramic  view,  succeeded  by  the  Arsenal  and  grounds,  the  In- 
sane Asylum,  and  the  Navy  Yard,  while,  grandly  crowning  all, 
is  the  Capitol,  with  its  gi-aceful  dome. 

Alexandria  is  soon  reached.  [See  Alexandria.] 
Fort  Foot,  an  important  earthwork  during  the  late  war,  is 
next  approached  Again  the  boat  stops  a  moment  at  old  Fort 
Washington.  Both  forts  are  on  the  Mar>  land  shore.  The  last 
was  built  in  part  by  Major  L'Enfant.  Opposite  this  fort,  on 
high  ground,  is  Mount  Vernon  House. 


The  boat  lands  at  a  little  wharf  reaching  far  out  in  the  river^ 
belonging  to  the  estate.  A  walk  from  this  wharf  leads  to  the 
Tomb. 

The  front  of  the  vault  is  open,  defended  by  an  open  iron  gate- 
way, through  which  the  sarcophagus  containing  the  remains  of 
Washington  can  be  plainly  seen.  There  is  also  another  sarco- 
phagus, containing  the  remains  of  Martha,  the  consort  of  Wash- 
ington.    A  number  of  family  graves  surround  the  tomb. 

The  mansion  fronts  the  river.  The  centre  was  built  by  Law- 
rence Washington,  half-brother  of  the  President,  from  whom  be 
inherited  the  estate.  The  more  modern  portions  were  added  by 
the  General. 

The  Mount  Verxon  Ladies'  Association  own  the  mansion 
and  contiguous  grounds.  Their  endeavor  is  to  restore  them,  as 
nearly  as  possible,  to  the  condition  they  were  in  during  the  life 
of  their  great  owner. 

Under  their  efficient  management  many  of  the  rooms  have 
been  refurnished  in  the  style  of  a  century  ago ;  and  it  will  not 
be  long  before  the  whole  interior  will  be  returned  to  its  former 
antique  condition. 

The  lady  vice-regent  of  a  particular  State  takes  under  her 
patronage  a  single  room  to  furnish,  and  gives  to  it  the  name  of 
the  State  she  represents.  In  this  way  the  many  rooms  of  this 
large  countiy -house  have  been  divided  off  among  the  States,  and 
a  laudable  spirit  of  rivalry  induced  which  will  rapidly  facilitate 
the  carrying  out  of  the  desired  object.  The  house  fronts  east 
and  west.  In  the  hall  is  hung  the  key  of  the  Bastile,  which  was 
presented  by  Lafayette  to  Washington,  and  the  legend  is  that 
Washington  himself  placed  it  in  its  present  position.  Now  of 
the  rooms : 

The  small  east  parlor  belongs  to  Ohio  ;  while  the  west  parlor 
is  appropriated  to  the  State  of  Illinois. 


140 

The  grand  state  dining-room,  constituting  the  north  extension, 
is  claimed  by  the  imperial  State  of  New  York.  Here  is  Peale's 
celebrated  picture  of  "Washington  before  YorktDwn,''  which 
for  many  years  hung  over  the  Senate  eastern  staircase  in  the  U. 
.  Capitol.  In  this  room  also  is  the  wonderfully  beautiful  man- 
tel-piece presented  to  Washington  by  Mr.  Samuel  Vaughau,  nn 
Englishman. 

The  family  dining-room  is  a  general  reception-room,  while 
the  room  east  of  it  is  used  as  the  council-room  of  the  lady 
regents.     The  library  is  south  of  this  room. 

In  the  second  story,  the  first  room  reached  on  the  left,  known 
as  Lafayette's  room,  belongs  to  New  Jersey.  Next  door  to  it  is 
the  Pennsylvania  room ;  while  the  small  apartment  occupying 
the  east  front  of  the  hall  is  appropriated  by  the  banner  State  of 
Delaware.  Maryland  has  placed  her  escutcheon  over  the  door  of 
the  next  apartment  south ;  while  the  new  State  of  West  Virginia 
claims  the  occupancy  of  the  adjoining  room. 

This  last  room  is  in  close  proximity  to  the  room  still  south 
of  it,  in  which  the  great  chieftain  died.  It  seems  a  sacred  spot, 
a  veritable  holy  place  ;  and  most  fittingly  Virginia  has  in  charge 
the  august  apartment. 

Over  this  room,  in  an  attic  chamber,  Mrs.  Washington  died.  It 
has  been  given  to  the  State  of  Wisconsin. 

Five  small  rooms  with  dormer  windows  are  on  the  third  floor. 
One  is  claimed  by  Connecticut  and  another  by  the  District  of 
Columbia ;  the  others  are,  as  yet,  unappropriated. 


141 
ARLINGTON. 

Arlington  House  is  situated  on  Arlington  Heights,  in  Virginia, 
on  the  south  side  of  the  Potomac,  in  plain  view  of  the  Capitol. 
The  late  war  and  incidents  connected  with  it  have  made  this  a 
place  of  historic  interest.  Over  fifteen  thousand  of  the  Union 
ilead  lie  interred  around  the  former  beautiful  home  of  the  great 
j^'rand-daughter  of  Martha  Washington,  who  became  the  wife  of 
the  Confederate  chieftain,  Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee.  The  estate  em- 
braced about  eleven  hundred  acres,  two  hundred  of  which  have 
been  set  apart  as  a  National  Cemetery. 

A  very  prevalent  mistake,  reiterated  by  irresponsible  newspa- 
per correspondents,  and  copied  into  several  of  the  Washington 
Guide-books,  it  is  our  duty  to  correct.  It  is  very  positively  as- 
serted that  in  1863  this  estate  was  "sold  under  the  confiscation 
act,  and  in  1864  was  taken  possession  of  by  the  National  Govern- 
ment. "  The  facts  are  that  the  Arlington  property  was  sold  at  a  tax 
sale,  January  11,1 864,  and  was  never  confiscated.  It  was  never  the 
property  of  General  Lee,  and  only  a  life  interest  in  the  property 
was  devised  to  Mrs.  Lee,  by  her  father,  George  Washington  Parke 
Custis.  The  value  of  the  estate,  as  recorded  in  the  land  book  of 
the  State,  was  $34,100.  The  amount  which  it  was  sold  for  at 
the  tax  sale  was  $26,800.  Arlington  House  was  built  by  Mr. 
George  Washington  Parke  Custis.  It  is  imposing  in  api^earance, 
and  has  a  frontage  of  140  feet.  The  portico  is  60  feet  long  and 
25  feet  deep,  and  is  ornamented  with  eight  Doric  columns,  built 
of  brick,  plastered.  It  was  long  regarded  as  one  of  the  palatial 
homes  of  the  South.  The  situation  of  the  mansion  is  fine,  and 
the  view  from  the  portico  extensive,  and  for  beauty  can  scarcely 
be  excelled. 

The  cemetery  lying  west  of  the  house  is  devoted  to  white  and 
that  lying  noi-th  to  colored  dead  soldiers.  South  of  the  house  is 
the  '  •  Unknown  Tomb, "  in  which  are  placed  the  remains  of  2, 1 1 1 


\\  ashington  b    I  omb  at  Mount  ^  ernon 


143 


unknown  soldiers  gathered  from  the  battle-fields  of  Bull  Kun  and 
the  route  to  the  Rappahannock.  Near  this  tomb  is  an  amphi- 
theatre, erected  in  1873,  designed  for  use  on  Decoration  Day,  ca- 
pable of  accommodating  5,00()  persons. 

In  regard  to  this  estate,  it  has  also  been  very  currently  reported 
that  it  was  bequeathed  by  Gen.  Washington  to  Mr.  Custis,  his 
adopted  son.  The  truth  is  BIr.  Custis  inherited  it  from  his 
father,  John  Parke  Custis,  and  Gen.  Washington  never  owned  it. 
The  founder  of  the  American  family  of  Custis  was  an  emigrant 
inn-keeper,  formerly  of  Rotterdam,  Holland,  who,  about  1668, 
married  the  daughter  of  Edmund  Scarburgh,  prominent  in  early 
Colonial  times  as  surveyor-general  of  the  State  and  a  representa- 
tive of  Accomac  county,  Va.  The  marriage  with  this  lady  gave 
him  immense  landed  possessions. 


Arlington  House. 


144 

Fort  Myer. 

is  situated  a  short  distance  northwest  from  Arlington  House. 
It  is  the  only  one  of  the  many  forts  built  near  Washington 
during  the  late  war  that  has  not  been  dismantled.  It  is  now  a 
station  for  instruction  in  signalling. 

BLADENSBURG. 

This  old  town,  founded  in  1750,  is  in  Prince  George's  county, 
Md. ,  and  is  about  six  miles  n.  e.  of  Washington ;  it  is  situated 
on  the  Anacostia  or  Eastern  Branch  of  the  Potomac,  which  was 
in  former  times  navigable  to  this  point,  and  was  the  great  to- 
bacco centre  of  the  surrounding  country. 

It  is  famous  for  having  been,  in  1814,  the  site  of  the  battle  of 
Bladensburg,  August  24,  in  which  we  were  beaten  by  the  British, 
who  pursued  the  retreating  Americans  to  Washington.  The 
rapidity  with  which  this  retreat  was  effected  gained  for  the  un- 
fortunates the  facetious  title  of  The  Bladensburg  Bacees. 

Near  this  village,  in  a  secluded  spot,  was  the  famous  duelUng- 
ground  where  Commodore  Decatur  fell  in  1820.  Numerous 
other  duels  have  been  fought  here,  one  of  the  most  noted  being 
that  in  which  Graves  and  Cilley  were  engaged. 

Bladensburg  has  also  been  celebrated  for  a  chalybeate  spring, 
claimed  to  possess  medicinal  properties  of  great  value. 

Proposed  Lincoln  Monument. 
It  has  been  proposed  to  erect  a  monument  of  great  elegance 
and  superior  workmanship  in  front  of  the  Capitol  to  commem- 
orate the  history  of  the  Martyr  President.  An  engraving  in  this 
volume  represents  the  model,  by  the  artist,  Clarke  Mills,  pre- 
sented to  the  committee  in  charge  of  the  object.  Whether  it 
will  eventually  be  placed  there  remains  with  the  American  peo- 
ple to  determine.     God  speed  the  right ! 


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